Today began with Maggie Haberman and Luke Broadwater at the New York Times reporting on previously undisclosed emails from the weeks before the January 6 insurrection, in which advisors openly referred to the slates of alternative electors they had prodded supporters to produce as “fake.”
The good thing about getting Trump on conspiracy to commit election fraud is it avoids all the bullshit shiny objects of "His free speech," "he couldn't know what they'd do after he spoke," etc., etc. The crime is proven by the existence of the fake documents, The conspirators are shown by the signatures on the documents. You think any of those small gargoyles are the kind who will go to jail for Trump? Hah! They'll be lining up to turn state's evidence. And all the questions the prosecutors are asking in the grand jury are "what did you say to the president?" "When did you say it?" "What did he say?"
It might be the equivalent of getting Al Capone for tax evasion instead of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, but it still puts him away for 20 years.
Sure, he needs to be taken off the street, shamed in public, humiliated. Any charge that will stick is good enough, though hopefully Garland's "thoroughness" will lead to further convictions for capital offenses and a larger conversation about how Trump could happen in the first place and what can be done to keep someone like him from ever reaching public office again. I suspect the Constitution will need significant modification. That will only occur with a big DEM majority, and we know who can make it happen. Us.
The Koch network and other robber barons are a clear and present danger to the health of this nation. The dark money in politics is one of our biggest problems. Remember Charles Koch’s father, Fred, was a founder of the John Birch Society. When my grandmother would spout Bircher drivel, my dad would ask her where she got such CRAZY talk. Now those who talk crazy have gained a significant foothold and are working to break the country.
Have you seen the “Energy Voter” commercials advertising Koch Industries? Those commercials make Koch look benign. Lots of sunshine and employees with beaming smiles on their faces. Koch is the 2nd largest privately held company in the US with 120,000 employees in 70 countries, 60,000 in the US, revenues of over $115 billion. Citizens United and previous decisions allow Koch and the Koch network to use their dirty money to purchase influence. Charles Koch makes his voice heard in ways a regular person can’t. It’s too despicable for words.
Yes to every word of this. If Trump ever gets into the White House again, there won’t be any more elections for anyone to dispute. He needs nothing less than an orange jumpsuit.
Haaahahaha…. But seriously, this is the fervent hope of everyone who values democracy and the rule of law. BTW, if/when Dumpster is convicted of crimes and we hope, sent to prison, we need to start thinking about how we will mark the occasion. In order to give zero ammunition to allegations that “you all just did this because you personally hate Trump. This was all a political witch hunt for political gain blah blah blah” we probably want to keep all public remarks soberly focused on the message that this is just another step in protecting our democracy, the Constitution, the sanctity of our right to vote to choose our leaders, the peaceful transfer of power, and the principle that no one is above the law. We can hold sober public speeches and candle light vigils of thanks. Public marathon readings of the founding documents and any laws passed by then to protect our elections and the right to vote would be appropriate. Quiet tears of relief will be streaming down my face. Then we can go home and celebrate less soberly, out of the public eye.
Rupert is trying for a majority of right-wing nuts, be they MAGAts or DeSantis evil. They are no longer satisfied with the minority ruling the majority. They want to be the majority, just like democracy demands. Nazi playbook all the way. And I got banned from Twitter for saying so in 2020,
Trump must be down with a stake in his heart. Garland's job is the stake. Once ("If"?) that comes to pass. Many of Trump's goons, followers, wanna bes, etc. will fall by the watside having seen what happened to him, BUT not all. Some are also true bellievers and will have to be carefully watched at least until a new generation takes over which at 74 I am happy I will not see, but will there be enouch vigilant ones in that generation is anyone's guess. For now I quite agree. VOTE!
He adores attention. Take it away and he will wilt in the darkness.
The problem is not with the constitution. The problem is with how it is being interpreted. In my opinion. It was never meant to be interpreted literally as the end of the discussion as to what is constitutional as (third one) SCOTUS is doing. I believe it was supposed to be a living document, one open to change by the congressional acts of Congress. Congress is being blocked by a few. We must reconcile that issue.
People hunger for leadership and attention. It appears we may have left some behind.
"The problem is not with the constitution. The problem is with how it is being interpreted. In my opinion. It was never meant to be interpreted literally..."
The same problem as with the Bible, and some of the same people.
Yes … trump and his minions are heading for prosecution, trial and then jail. This needs to happen and he knows his struggle is about to end; he looks terrible…haggard…done. Were he being pursued by the police and prosecutors of the kind of law free, anything goes fascist state he and his cronies were attempting to create? Thank goodness America isn’t like that…even for a traitor like him. So looking forward to putting this whole awful chapter of American history in the rear view mirror; aren’t you, too? But the dogged fight will go on for years to come as more and more evidence of the wide ranging “Hub and Spoke” criminality behind the January 6 insurrection comes to light. Meanwhile there are so many vitally important things for us to accomplish: Reversing Global Warming comes first, re instituting a national standard for voting rights, helping NATO help Ukraine win the war with Russia, Keeping China from wrecking its truly golden opportunity to become a great nation again, in full partnership with the democratic west, moving America towards becoming the world leader in innovation, transportation, renewable energy, manufacturing, research, education and healthcare in full partnership with democratic nations around the world, as we prepare to venture beyond the confines of our own planet and take our place among other intelligent life forms in the universe. It’s the Star Trek vision I’m talking about which may actually happen in only the next 300 or so, years. As Joni Mitchell wrote in her song Woodstock, “we are stardust”… It’s a wonderful vision that is indeed, our ultimate destiny as a species.
Getting a handle on global warming is even more important than saving American democracy. But saving American democracy is likely essential to stalling global warming.
Yes. We are baking here in Oregon. Some citizens caught a guy starting fires in southern Oregon and I think tied him to a tree until LE got there. Fires were put out thankfully. I read an article yesterday about the strain on the antiquated grid, so people can experience rolling blackouts. Water is a problem in parts of central Oregon around Bend where the population is growing and the greedy developers are busy planning resorts, etc. In the meantime, we contribute to races here and all over the country. There is an interesting one going on in Washington's third district where the incumbent voted for impeachment. Two wing nuts are running against her, one a "Christian" home schooler; the other, a guy who changed his registration to D and voted for Bernie because he thought Bernie would be the weaker candidate. Someone is trying to portray him as a stealth D. He isn't. In Washington the two top vote getters go on to November.
I had not heard about the firestarter in southern Oregon. My sister lives in Phoenix, is on the planning commission, and is actively involved in fire recovery down there. The devastation of Phoenix and Talent (sister city just to the south) is beyond comprehension. To have someone trying for "round 2" is abhorrent.
Good grief. I wonder if he is a disgruntled lumberjack? That was tried a few times in California on preserved forests. A fire might destroy the forest, but downed trees can still provide good wood once the char is stripped.
In CA. a woman did this last year. She was very well-educated but mentally unstable. Caused millions of dollars of damages also putting many people at risk.
I like your optimism, Keith. I believe optimism to be misunderstood. Optimism is not “hoping” something good will happen. It’s fighting the good fight and not taking a flight away from it. Robert Hubbell’s Substack piece today digs in to the peril of scoffing at optimism and doubling down on pessimism. Here’s a link to his entire post. He ends his post with the discussion that I reference. https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/the-dam-is-beginning-to-break?r=l2aa7&s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Agreed. I went round and round with one of my former LMT whose mantra was all pols are bad. Then he voted for Jill not green Stein. I used our Oregon delegation, mostly good Ds, as an example of good pols. He also thought we shouldn't do anything about climate change or anything else because....I disagreed. We do what we can. We have solar panels for example, and this am, my spouse reported that we were billed for no kilowatt hours and sent back to the grid 218 hours. It goes into a fund at the end of the year to help low income households. On Friday the electrician is coming to turn on our wall batteries in the garage in case of an outage. These do not run big power using items, but will run everything else including fridges and the freezer. Yes, I know that not everyone can afford something like this and I am grateful that we can and also glad to know that our solar panels can help others. In the meantime we do what we can in terms of getting out the vote and contribute all year to organizations doing that.
We seem to want to put the issues behind us which brought us together today. I am all for moving onward. However, this attempt to overthrow America should not be forgotten. It needs its place in our history so people in the future recognize the pattern leading to the end of democracy as we know it.
"So looking forward to putting this whole awful chapter of American history in the rear view mirror; aren’t you, too? "
Thank you, Keith. An eloquent and beautiful statement of vision and hope, which we can keep before us to power our hard WORK to get out the vote and safeguard our democracy while we still have the power to head off the fascist juggernaut. Go Democracy Team!
Although I agree with your general sentiment, one has to be careful regarding innovation and manufacturing. Lots of innovation yields high-tech crap, to use a technical expression, that fills Earth with indecomposable plastic, as well as other harmful materials. An old example is leaded gasoline, a great innovation that was known from the start to be dangerous (Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, tells the story). And, though you don't say so explicitly, reading between the lines I see cheerleading for continuing economic growth (I apologize in advance if I'm reading something that isn't there), which is also a planetary disaster. Finally, I believe "ventur[ing] beyond the confines of our own planet" is an illusion. We may be able to ruin the moon and Mars, but we will not be able to colonize Mars, an idea advocated by Elon Musk and others who view it as "planet B" after we finish despoiling Earth. Bill Maher has an amusing monologue about this:
Your last two words, TC, are as good as gold. To me, it indicates the array and broader range of investigation the DOJ will pursue leading to criminal indictment. And that will finally trap Trump in his own game. I remain in support of Atty General Garland putting some principled clean shine back on the Department of Justice. As Professor Richardson concludes with quote “…pursue justice without fear or favor”.
Not much that the former president pursued that did not involve fear or favor.
Exposing the truth over time did Nixon in. It should work here also. There's just too much weight of evidence, from too many people.Trump can live in his world of denial and lies. I still believe he'll flee the country. It's what failed bullies do.
It did work. But Nixon was re-elected before the curtain fell on his act. The difference here may be that the challenges to TFG from within his own party are becoming clearer every day. Let's not underestimate the craven ambitions of DeSantis and Pence. Pompeo may step in if he sees a lane. The latter two are especially frightening as they believe in the "Rapture". But the Florida guy is also scary. He's a Hitler imitator.
Exactly...let's be honest, there were about 20 folks in the GOP primary that Trump eventually won. He trashed every one of his opponents in vile ways. There's no love lost between them and DJT. Anyone who gets to a Presidential primary is a survivor who has done a lot of shit, directly or indirectly to get there. The next 2 years are going to be a wild ride both in the GOP and DEMs. I think Biden may pull an LBJ and step aside. He's done what he needed to do. Beat Trump and stabilize things. I think the good news is that we can see pretty clearly what's developing on the GOP side. You can bet that any Republican who has designs on the Whitehouse is praying for the demise of Trump...but what they also want is to win mid terms and get majorities...so there's a tightrope walk of timing for them. What helps us now, does not aid them until mid November.
Trap him like the rat he is. As explained by one commentator, this is how you get to the mob leader(s). You go after the little fish until you get to the kahuna. With everybody either indicted and jailed, this leaves Trump out in the Siberian cold, as by himself, all nakedly exposed and isolated. Right where we want him!
It ain’t over till the fat orange man sings. Stay tuned. He will. Lying at first. The conductor does not need the music. He memorized, invents the credenza.. for our listening pleasure. Mozart was born January 27th, that was a Friday in 1939. War raged. The music today is atonal in Ukraine. War again. Biden hears so well. The Born Again do not. Putin does not. Find Trump in Don Giovanni. Shake his hand and descend. It ain’t over till the fat orange man sings. And the man in stone shakes his hand. Putin is stone. Zelenski is love. Love Is Not Enough - but it’s a good place to start.
To Biden With Love. To hope. To the children.
We start with the Ukrainian children. And their beautiful mothers.
The orange man will be investigated, charged, convicted and sentenced to prison. He will be charged and sentenced last.
The line forms at the rear. First come, first served.
The truth shall set us free.
I cannot tell a lie, said George Washington to his father.
I cannot tell the truth, said Donald to Sir Rudy.
Study Savonarola, he is Giuliani. They will swing. Rudy’s father did time in Sing Sing. Will Rudy get the same cell? What cell will the handshake earn for each in the Trump Team? Don Giovanni knows.
It ain’t over till the fat Orange Man Sings. Then the Trump curtain comes down on his White House, and they all follow John N. Mitchell.
We need Jack Anderson. W. Mark Felt. Deep Throat. His two greedy friends that hid him in Santa Clara in Joan Felt’s garage. Where he died.
The last act is excellent. Music moves us.
Mozart was a genius.
Genius matters.
We’re going to need it.
Smile. We’re all on Candid Camera.
And our children are watching, watching..
And crying.
It’s time. Let’s roll. AG Garland will clear the way.
So Trump the Opera will replace Hamiliton as American Theatre renewed. Lyrics by? And musical score by? And narration delivered by? I'm coming up with images brought to us by Mel Brooks. Vote for damn sure.
I think we've already got some of the lyrics, thanks to Sandy. "I cannot tell a lie, said George Washington to his father. I cannot tell the truth, said Donald to Sir Rudy." ...etc.
Oh, that is RICH!!! Given that I get to go see Hamilton live next month, I will pay special attention to some of the moving pieces and see if I can't come up with a cast...
The problem I see is that the current Attorney General will decline to prosecute (he has already said so). Then the midterms happen, likely a total landslide for Republicans, and the January 6 Committee is done for.
There are so many crimes in the Trump administration that will likely go unpunished. Example, Jared Kushner and his business dealings to the tune of $1 billion (the cost of the NYC office building bailout) or more.
So Trump will get away with what Bush/Cheney did, lying our way into the Iraq war. If you can't be punished for that crime, then you can't as a President be punished for anything. Including destroying democracy in this country.
Michael, I had posted a NY Times article here within the last two weeks that quoted internal DOJ employees as noting that a prosecution of Trump was not even being talked about.
That is not quite the same as “not prosecuting” information but it did seem that only Fani Willis in Georgia appeared brave enough to go after Trump.
My guess is that with Fani Willis likely to indict Trump the humiliation Garland would suffer historically if a black woman puts Trump in jail in Georgia, while DOJ remains silent, has prompted DOJ movement.
I think Garland initially focused on the bottoms-up approach, tackling the hundreds of cases involving those who invaded the Capitol. And at some point (before the J6 Committee began hearings) started focusing on the organizers/conspirators.
The case Fani Willis is pursuing is very much less complex and smaller in scope than what Garland is working on. (Trump was recorded trying to manipulate the Georgia results.) But I agree that she will have distinction of being the first to bring charges against Trump. The fact that she is a Black woman will make the case all the more painful for Trump.
Mike S, What's your race angle? Garland does his job and Willis does hers. What's your 'humiliation' Black/White imagining for Garland if she's up first? Just don't understand what you are getting at.
It’s fine for Garland. Trump has been rather clear about despising all women and anyone not white, so being held to account by a prosecutor who is a Black woman probably disrupts him that much more.
He may be held by both, and he'll hate them both. DJT will hate all who nab him. Just say no to him and he's full of hate. Perhaps the only time he's ever colorblind is when he is in a rage -- or maybe not.
When Biden's term nears its end AG Garland can appoint a Special Prosecutor to continue afterwards just as AG Barr appointed John Durham in 2019 to investigate FBI misconduct that has not been found but the clown continues on investigating.
I don't have a source, only that Presidents have never been prosecuted. And so I am rightfully cynical here. DOJ should already have plenty of evidence to prosecute Trump already. It shouldn't take 1.5 years.
Nixon feared prosecution and left office without roiling our very democracy for 18 months after. DT not only lost the election, he tried to block the legitimate winner and elected President from taking office. This is all unprecedented criminal activity in my opinion. How can any criminal ever be charged and brought to trial if this gross criminal activity is not prosecuted?
Apparently Leon Jaworsky (so?) had sufficient evidence to prosecute Nixon after his resignation, but felt it a political decision more than a judicial one. Refused to make the call. Why it was up to Ford.
I don't know how long it should take, but I know that the legal process is typically slow. You don't want the perp to get away on technical mistake. You want to come down on a career criminal like a ton of bricks, and that takes time to assemble. Technically, so far as I know, no president has been prosecuted, but then which previous president (not even Nixon) tried to overthrow the elected government by treachery, force, and violence? I do worry that we have given too many outrages a pass in the past to avoid the consequent messiness, but that only encouraged even more outrageous behavior. It also seems to me we're out of the wiggle room to decline to act without catastrophic consequences.
We must remember - DT had lost the election, he just was not accepting the loss and was and is trying to change the result of the election by any means, including committing crimes, the likes of which have never occurred in our history.
No one but Trump has conspired to overthrow the government (that we know of….).! Whatever time it takes, let’s have faith these bastards will be held accountable. Otherwise, we should go into the streets and protest peacefully, but loudly. This is up to US!
“When you strike at a king, you must kill him.”― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Of Garland is merely building an unassailable case and taking his time doing it to make it perfect, ok fine, Feds always take a long time to bring indictments. If he is of faint of heart, etch the decline of our democracy on his tombstone. Too early to tell which is which. No fun waiting to see.
That's a serious crime! But also it is a serious crime to start the Iraq War number 2 with lies, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths. And even thousands on our side.
Attorney General Merrick Garland didn’t rule out prosecuting ex-President Donald Trump over the Jan. 6 Capitol riot even if he runs for the White House again in 2024.
Garland said the Justice Department would “pursue justice without fear or favor” when asked by NBC News’ Lester Holt about prosecuting a former president and possible future candidate for the highest office.
“We intend to hold everyone, anyone who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6, for any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another, accountable, that’s what we do,” Garland said in an interview set to air Tuesday night on NBC Nightly News.
“We don’t pay any attention to other issues with respect to that.”
When pressed again by Holt during the sit-down if Trump becoming a candidate could affect his decision-making, Garland reiterated, “we will hold accountable anyone who is criminally responsible for attempting to interfere with the transfer — legitimate, lawful transfer of power from one administration to the next.”
The Department of Justice has been probing the possible criminal conduct connected to the Jan. 6 riot and efforts by Trump allies to reverse the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden.
At the same time, the House select committee probing the Jan. 6 attack has held eight public hearings so far on the siege at the US Capitol.
Attorney General Merrick Garland discussed the criminal probe by the Justice Department into the siege on the US Capitol.
When asked if a criminal referral from that House committee would be welcomed by the Justice Department, Garland said it was “totally up” for the committee if they took that step.
“We will have the evidence that the committee has presented and whatever evidence it gives us,” he told NBC. “I don’t think that the nature of how they style, the manner in which information is provided, is of particular significance from any legal point of view.
“That’s not to downgrade it or to or disparage it. It’s just that that’s not what, that’s not the issue here,” he added. “We have our own investigation, pursuing through the principles of prosecution.”
Last week, Garland stressed the importance and wide-ranging nature of the investigation.
Merrick Garland said the Justice Department would “pursue justice without fear or favor” if he were to prosecute Donald Trump.
Merrick Garland said the Justice Department would “pursue justice without fear or favor” if he were to prosecute Donald Trump.
Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
“No person is above the law,” he told reporters last week.
Guess I’ve learned to believe it when I see it. I do see the machinations of the republicans in red states preparing for the future while we focus on the past. Necessary but we need to be aware
My concern can be found here, that Garland must personally approve any prosecution of Trump, a policy that originated from Barr. Hence he can stop it, and maybe he will. Certainly there is reason to be concerned. Otherwise, why play around with low-level prosecutions rather than going straight to the top.
I believe the DOJ has to build its case, which takes time. Prosecuting a president, former or one in office is very difficult. I think they will prosecute the son of a bitch. He is guilty as sin….
Keep in mind, also, that certain facts didn't come to light until Cassidy Hutchinson and others testified before the January 6th Committee. So DOJ has NOT had 1.5 years to prosecute Trump; the evidence was not yet in place.
Mike, Fani will shine out as a hero when she is done with him. Thank God she stepped up….I hope she is under protection, for in this toxic environment, one can never be too careful. Many have gotten horrendous death threats….
Matt, Heather actually addressed this concern in one of her politics videos - the memo appears to have been around for many administrations before and is not issued for the moment or necessarily indicative of anything. His interview promising to prosecute without fear sounds much more important. Anyway, things are moving.
Garland has repeated he will investigate without fear or favor each time he has been asked. If he were to suddenly say things were too “politically fraught,” he would lose all reputation. I think that matters to him.
Our concern is not wasted if we get people thinking and then voting in droves in November.
Most of that is likely not to happen (unless you sit on your assets). The current Attorney General specifically DID NOT rule out prosecution of Trump in his interview today. As to the fall, right now the generic congressional is tied, which has been moving D since May when the Roe decision was leaked - they still have Act 2 of the Select Committee hearings coming in September and October (excellent timing).
You sound like one of those people who would have advised FDR to give up and surrender in April 1942, before Coral Sea and Midway.
I'm not advising giving up, exactly the opposite. Showing some fortitude to do what is right and prosecute Trump. Not just people several levels down, but including Trump himself.
Garland not ruling out prosecuting is not what I would hope to hear. I would hope to hear him ruling it in. The first statement is just an excuse.
I think you and the media may be underestimating the backlash from the Supremely Sick Courts recent decisions and impact of the rot within the GQP being revealed daily in ever more detail. I hope to see Mid Term turnout on an epic scale. The two biggest blocks of voters are "independents" and "non-voters". I think they may be the dragon being awakened. I could be wrong. I am having coffee fueled optimism this morning.
I remind myself that Garland's background is judicial. He is not some young ambitious prosecutor. Therefore, if he brings charges they will stick like super glue. He will only pursue a case that he KNOWS will lead to a conviction. Judges don't want their time wasted with "long shots" or "pretty good cases". I can't predict anything. But I see reasons to be optimistic.
And even if the DOJ does not send TFG to prison, the image of TFG as more of a liability than a winner is becoming clearer to many in the GQP. And maybe it will all come down to Atlanta.
Bill, I believe the "biggest block of voters" is women. We are pissed at having men make decision about our bodies, and we're heading to the polls to let them know we are the dragons who are coming for them.
I am a fan of Game Of Thrones. I just love the image of a huge dragon waking up after many years. Her eye opens slowly. She begins to stir. And ultimately she incinerates the evil guys. Hear her screech as she flaps those enormous wings. She rules...
I could not. There was a "free trial" towards season 2 or 3 to get new viewers. Far, far too much gratuitous violence for the sake of titillation. That carp ain't entertainment, especially when you've seen the real thing and the very real impacts it has.
(In the "explaining usage" department, which most recently has been with abbreviations, my usage of the word "carp" is a nod to my dyslexia, when I sent a text to my friend indicating 💩 but typing "carp"...)
I think you might be part of the "don't believe it" crowd. You have every right to think that way based on the history of the past 7 years. But many in that crowd should look at the bigger picture. The more time they are taking with investigations, the larger and deeper the plot of bad characters comes into view. I personally want to know everyone who aided and abetted the so-called president in the republican plans to overthrow our democracy to maintain their power which appears cannot happen without cheating via gerrymandering, the EC, voter suppression, illegal tampering with our postal system, and propaganda brainwashing machines like fox. Oh no, trump was not alone and had a LOT of others planning and scheming. A lot of backup and complicity...and a LOT of dark money both domestic and foreign. We still have a time...Please give Merrick positive support...you actually have no choice,really. Being positive and supportive, for me is better than being, what one of my friends refers to as a "Debbie Downer." (sorry to all Debbies!) I loved hearing Garland speak yesterday and his words were meant, I think, to assure us that he is working on this "without fear or favor." That was solid to me. Those are the words I will hold up for and cheer he and others in our DOJ to do their due diligence. This including the wonderful J6 Committee who are the educators of America in showing the entire country and world what a bunch of despots are in the rethuglican party in this country, with help from abroad. What a shameless party of narcissists who feel nothing about what they have done to the rest of us in their self-absorption, violent and chaotic attack on our country and people.
I know teenagers who are a lot more civil, mature and caring about their behavior impacting others than most of the republican leaders I see in our employ all put together.
We will never solve the problems we face as a country, or world, as long as immature, little white-assed power nazis (sorry, I had to say it) want to be in charge here and overseas. We must show strength in that our democracy and our justice system work. I believe in it. My ancestors on both sides died fighting for or against it. I will continue to fight for it no matter how old I get. All The People, this time. The bully patriarchy be damned. That is really what this is all about. Their death knell is at hand. I will not let their tactics of tyranny suck me in to their dark cave of misery, hatred and despair.
Thank you for your comment. I have worked in the legal field and have pointed this out every time people complain that action isn't being taken. This is a HUGE case and to try and convict a former president is going to take extreme detail, extremely rock-solid evidence, and as the Jan. 6 committee has said, people are still coming forward as witnesses. People are seeing others be brave so they are being brave themselves.
I have been saying Texas now has Nazi brown-shirts, Florida too I believe. Rat on 'crimes' of anyone 'illegally' voting (or what appears to be), Texas, turn in anyone getting or providing an abortion.
Matt, are you just ignoring the other one billion dollars Kushner received as just found money or just something inconsequential? It was Steven Mnuchin who only received $1 billion dollars - the amounts that we are currently aware of: Kushner - $2 billion, Mnuchin - $1 billion; can we safely assume that none of the other trump klan received no money at all? See: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/05/jared-kushner-affinity-partners-saudi-arabia
Matt, I share your apprehension. A GOP mid-term victory (they hardly need a landslide!) would eventually make any indictment or conviction of Trump irrelevant. Trump getting off - despite the terrible precedent that would set - might be survivable, but if this GOP ever regains full power in both houses, then our uniquely American democracy will be finished, a dead duck, Trump or not.
I am assuming AG Garland understands this and will do what he needs to do, whatever his initial misgivings, and that Trump will seal his own fate by continuing to double down on being himself. Subconsciously he may be seeking the relative quiet and simplicity of a well guarded jail cell. Not that I'm a shrink or anything....
Nor am I a lawyer, but I'm not sure "Bush/Cheney... lying our way into the Iraq war" is actually a crime in a legal sense, though it was a moral abomination supported by a number of still beloved Democratic politicians at the time. Were they accomplices, or just duped like all the folks who voted to give Dubya a second term? Which is worse?
Yes, Ally, intent is the key, and this can best be determined - short of a confession - through cross examination under oath and in the presence of hard evidence. Flipping the perp's best buddies helps, too. Unfortunately, Bush/Cheney never had to worry about this. The consequences of presidential lying are normally political, not legal.
And, TC, as I keep saying: That the Orange Blight can never again hold power will be enough for me. (Although, if he were wearing an orange jumpsuit would be a mighty sweet image.)
TC “Right On!” In HCR’s piece today she mentioned speculative comments regarding tRump “skating!” My blood boils at the mere thought that could happen!! I vaguely recall reading in an obscure Internet post previously that Garland/DOJ might have to “back off” prosecution because with the Midterms approaching it might seem the Dems were trying to “unfairly” poison the Well. $%^&* (expletive deleted!) I remember a Judge in Boston who inspired the formation of the “Deer Island Jail, “Daddy owes Club” where former husbands who shirked paying Child Support payments found their sorry %$^#’s. I’ll bet they never remember touching the stairs when being arrested. To the Judge’s point…”they broke the Law and they will be punished! I Imagine there weren’t many who would “forget paying” a second time. Now there is talk, albeit speculative, that a former President, might be excused for trying to overthrow our Democracy. If that isn’t bad enough…the RR’s (Repugnant Republicans) are now trying to duplicate the actions that lead up to the Civil War by having States defy the Union! What’s next!!
I better finish! My Wife says, “I’m yelling at my Computer and scaring the Dogs!’
What you say. But the January 6 Committee has also shown enough evidence to convict TFG for seditious conspiracy over the attack on the Capitol. And although I’m not a criminal lawyer, I’m pretty confident that there’s a statute making it a crime for a federal official to be derelict in failing to perform his duties, and T___p could easily be convicted of that as well. He should be charged with all of those, at least, as well as election fraud.
Or his tendency to sexual indiscretions. Wouldn't it be hysterical (there's a pun here) if he was imprisoned for solicitation, or grabbing women you know where...
You might be a bit optimistic. Donald has his own deep state. All the pimps and prostitutes, dealers and wheelers, buddies he's blackmailing, etc. probably vote.
I'd like to see a legal court case linking Boris Epschtyne, whose parents emigrated here from Moscow when he was ten, and Jeffery Epstein, both names probably derived from the German town of Eppstein. Boris' parents survived the holocast: he married a girl from the oldest Catholic educational institution in the USA: now he's a holocast denier. Boris' wife works for Google and I can't find anything on the Epstein bunch on Google. There is a Right To Be Forgotten procedure I read about when I Googled Boris' wife's mother. Both her parents are lawyers. Her father practiced Constitutional law. The corruption is like cancer, permeating old rotten tissues.
As I have stated, Trump will be investigated, charged, convicted and jailed... by this DOJ led by this AG. It is all over but the shouting.
The One Six committee has helped enormously by educating the public that cares, but DOJ got there first... and the American public will now face the music:
President Trump is a congenital pathological liar and a hardened criminal. He is going to jail for as long as President Biden wants him there. His supporters will watch as their evil hero wears a suit the color of his dyed face. And the midterms will adjust the outcome accordingly.
President Ford pardoned President Richard M. Nixon as Veep Spiro T. Agnew was allowed to walk and Nelson A. Rockefeller was elevated to veep with the agreement that he would never run - because he was divorced.
President Biden will have a decision to make, and it will only matter when - and why - he makes it. To pardon or commute the sentence of President Trump - of leave him in jail to rot.
Donald J. Trump with the orange face and yellow hair will face jail - lose weight, and be visited by his favorite daughter, who has turned states evidence against him to keep herself and her strange and dishonest husband out of jail. The Trump dynasty is in flames, and the GOP or Republican Party will need new leadership... and has no one but One Six co-chair GOP Rep. Liz Cheney qualified to direct that process. No one.
Cults die, sooner or later.
The Trump Republican Party is in flames and will die. The party will find new leadership and our two party system will struggle again.
Perhaps racism, the cult’s cause and driving force, will receive attention - and tolerance will be sought.
One can hope. That leadership can begin with an eye on Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson... who just may end up as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Sandy, I love your image of flames and the dynasty crashing and burning….and the GOP, too, aflame.I also was struck by the sentence that Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, could end up as Chief Justice. What an uplifting thought…..thank you. We must get rid of Clarence Thomas….and send Ginni to prison with him.
Thank-you Sandy. What others call your optimism, I call realism, or observation. When I am pessimistic, it is generally to protect myself from some condition I find unacceptable. Refusal to look at the whole picture of any given situation is to rob ourselves of hope, agency, and dignity. This is the central failure of ALL media coverage on 1/6/21. In their quest to be "fair" they have chosen helplessness, despair, and slavery. It is no wonder millions are going on 'news fasts' or have stopped watching altogether. Of course, in the words of Pogo: "I have met the enemy, and he is us". The media is just trying to give us what they think we want; in a sense, we want protection from the truth, and they are simply attempting to give it to us.
Thank-you Sandy for injecting a little truth into this forum. Thanks for the hope, agency, and dignity it may bring.
The process: President Trump has been investigated thoroughly, he is now formally the target of a criminal investigation by DOJ, he will be indicted, he will be tried unless he pleads, he will be convicted, sentenced and jailed... Witnesses testifying re Trump may be granted Use Immunity to assure their full cooperation... under penalty of perjury.
"and the American public will now face the music:" - It will be heard across the Atlantic! From all that has passed and showed up, I still hold my breath till things really happen.
I firmly believe our path forward would have been on more firm footing had Ford allowed Nixon & Agnew to be punished for their crimes as common folk are held to account. It is most important to have the powerful held to account because their criminality and corruption poison the whole well of democracy. Ever since Watergate, the belief that “all are equal under the law” was knee-capped. It needs to be seen to be believed.
I would add that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney should have been prosecuted as well. Pelosi refused to do anything, saying the country needed to move on. But Trump is what we get for not following through. There must be consequences for illegal and immoral conduct.
They weren’t the first President/VP to lie the US into war—“Remember the Maine!” Whereas Trump is the first President to attempt to use illegal and violent means to stay in power.
At least Agnew was charged. Pleaded guilty in return for his resignation. I don't think that (similar to promising not to run again) would be an option offered to Trump because it would look like Garland was getting rid of his boss's opposition.
First. A sincere thank you, Sandy, for your optimism.
I do whole heartedly agree that trump and his closest cohorts are in flames. And some of the alt right media as well. Verizon just dropped OAN costing them 20 million viewers, Newsmax will crumble under the duress of lawsuits and FOX is obviously following orders from Murdoch to stop supporting trump. They are all migrating to DeSantis. The Washington Examiner and Wall Street Journal are damning trump concerning January 6 events.
Let me be clear: Trump is the subject of an investigation, but is he the target of - do they intend to charge? Is Trump a target? Yes. I believe both. Trump is assuredly a subject of; and he will be the target of, assuredly - the first president so targeted AND so charged - so indicted, trialed, convicted, sentenced. I have no doubt.
There is a delicate balance which must be achieved between the DOJ moving to indict the defeated former president and the continuing weakening of his Republican support in Congress, in state legislatures and among those who voted for him, brought about by the House Select Committee's. investigations. When that balance is struck, the DOJ will move. We must reach the point where Republicans agree that if the defeated former president shot someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue, he should be and would be promptly arrested and thrown into a cell. (Of course, he actually did worse than that.)
I suppose Biden will have a say in how long Trump stays in prison, should he be convicted, because of his (Biden's) presidential pardon powers but Biden will have no role in whether Trump is charged or the terms of any plea deal. Which is as it should be in a system of laws.
How will he be able to dye and have his hair styled and nails manicured in prison? No tanning bed and possibly no spray on tan. He will look like the old man that he is.
Thank you for this. In this era of denialism and stick your head in the sand-ism, this is good to read. Let's just hope we don't go down in flames before a reasonable cohort gains enough power to do something prevent it.
The State of Georgia vs. the DOJ, a fight for custody over the fate of the NY con man. Now that's a skirmish I'd pay to see, with a win for the people on both ends.
Former Manhattan DA Cy Vance who led the investigation had left his post. When his successor, Alvin Bragg, took over he halted the investigation. You may know this part. But yes, why did Bragg halt it. This article doesn't give me a satisfactory explanation, but here it is anyway.
That rumbling noise in the distance, growing ever louder, is a building tsunami of irrefutable evidence, evidence that will crash upon Trump and his closest associates and ruin their lives. The water metaphor is appropriate. It will be a cleansing, not of them, but the nation.
*Additional thought: how many propagandized Trump Big Lie believers will wake up? What will it take? Or will they just become more hardened in their irrational beliefs — and continue to undermine democracy in small and large ways?
Regarding your additional thought…I keep thinking of the testimony of Stephen Ayres before the Jan 6 Committee. I think he gave a clear accounting of what it took to be deprogrammed from the Trump cult behavior. I think many have done the same and that many more will do the same.
Very abysmal politics in Florida. It’s like pushing aside sludge to glimpse the Light of democracy. I never hear people talk of “liking” DeSantis. They either think his rising corrupt star in the Republican Party is their cup of tea or not. His incessant rant of Florida being a “free state” that celebrates its “fweedums” cannot be farther from the truth. And then there is the entrenched Trump base that will insist that Desantis is only as popular as Trump will allow. Meanwhile, Florida sinks further into a Confederate south state of mind. Stupid. Which is a choice.
Thanks for your response. Do you think he embraces fascism? How dangerous do you think he would be on the National political stage? He worries me very much.
Some do.....like the tall, burly ex-military homeland defense guy next to me in line at Starbuck's yesterday! When my grandson walked in front of him the guy said "excuse me" to the boy but I said that my grandson should have excused himself and that we were trying to teach him manners. The man looked at me and said, " Good thing,cause the public schools aren't. Thank God for DeSantis." Inocuous, anecdotal and exactly what we are up against in Florida.
The Talk Radio Project's (TRP) dozens of intrepid volunteers call into right-wing talk radio stations that are flooding rural audiences with disinformation. The volunteers inject much-needed fact-based conversation. The TRP is now gearing up for expansion into several 2024 swing states.
This unique initiative needs more administrative volunteers to support current and anticipated callers.
Can you squeeze in an hour or two each week to help with a task?
Recruitment of callers: Responding to inquiries, reviewing applications, organizing interviews
Training & assignment: Arranging for training and caller team assignments
Research: Identifying talk radio stations/hosts and progressive grassroots groups in target states
Progress monitoring: Tracking the number of volunteers and calls made
Join a zoom to learn more about the Talk Radio Project from its co-founder Mike Lambert. Mike will describe what each of these tasks entails and answer all questions. (Curious? Come learn more…joining does not imply an immediate commitment.)
We have enough floods and fires, Michael. A small cell in the PEN for all of them would be just fine. As for the MAGAs, militias and far-right troglodytes, I don't think they'll take DJT investigated sitting down. Trump got off his golfcart, and I predict there will be uglier trouble ahead.
I think there needs to be preparation with the National Guard. There were plenty of warnings about 1/6/21. How could we forget the violence he has attracted and fueled?
I'm afraid that it has reached the level of intense cult deprogramming efforts with these folks. I'm not sure they would know reason if it came up and bit them on the behind.
Ally, I know you have experience with this. I cannot avoid saying that they aren't all the same. There may indeed be an uproar when his supporters learn that he's being investigated. I believe that we need to be prepared for violence. After a while, several smart campaigns (Lincoln Project type clips) on the Five Faces of DJT, perhaps, some maniacs will calm down.
'Justice Dept. investigating Trump’s actions in Jan. 6 criminal probe'
'People familiar with the probe said investigators are examining the former president’s conversations and have seized phone records of top aides.' (WAPO)
How's that for the Washington Post's front page headline? Can it be true? You bet it is. Today's Letter and news outlets around the country are providing Americans with a wakeup call! As mind blowing this is -- how will it go over with the MAGAs? The Biden administration along with organizations such as the Lincoln Project need to get into high gear and design an educational campaign about the REAL DONALD TRUMP.
As good as this news is concerning the Justice Department investigation of President Donald Trump’s actions as part of its criminal probe of efforts to overturn the 2020 election results this news is also EXPLOSIVE.
Who are the MAGAs?
'The demographic composition of the MAGA movement is overwhelmingly white, male, Christian, retired, and over 65 years of age. They’re attracted to the following groups, ones that include gun rights, charities, pro police, anti-lockdown, pro-life, and “stop the steal.” They’re extremely politically active, all in support of the Republican Party. However, only roughly 60 percent are solid Republicans, the rest either “lean” Republican or Independent. The MAGA movement overwhelmingly believes Trump’s election fraud claims, would have supported him for a “third term”(had it been an option), and don’t believe that voting should be made easier.'
Where do MAGA supporters live?
'... the MAGA movement has a presence in every state in the continental U.S. '... MAGA presence corresponds with population density. As expected, less populous states in the Mountain West and Great Plains regions showed less activity. More populous states such as California, Texas, Florida, and other states in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic region registered more MAGA activity. '...MAGA presence was not constrained to rural areas, as contemporary rhetoric about the urban-rural divide might lead us to expect. In most states, MAGA respondents were clustered around major cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas.'
This information comes from Panel Study Of The MAGA Movement led by Rachel M. Blum, Assistant Professor, University of Oklahoma and Christopher Sebastian Parker, Professor, University of Washington. 'The Panel Study of the MAGA Movement (PSMM) is a survey designed to assess the attitudes and behavior of the people who consider themselves part of the “Make America Great Again” movement, popularized by the Trump campaign in 2016.'
'The MAGA movement, it seems, is not a isolated phenomenon. Movement sympathizers make up a healthy portion of the Republican electorate, and they are well-represented throughout the country.' (PSMM) See link below.
It feels as though democracy in the USA is getting a gigantic lift. This is also a time to recognize that Trump, the far-right, the militias, the MAGAs and the Republican Party will not take this sitting down.
Thank you, Fern, for your focus on looming danger -- danger that would, of course, be infinitely greater if the principal conspirators were let off the hook.
The cult monster is enormous and correspondingly dangerous -- without that huge following, their leader would have been... a nonentity -- and that is why there is no choice but to go for its head. That is why the January 6th committee completed its current work on behalf of Congress by setting its aim squarely on target: the former president.
In so doing, it is facilitating the apolitical task of the DOJ -- apolitical, in the sense that its task here must be purely prosecutorial, applying the law... without fear or favor.
I was struck by one word of yours here: "EXPLOSIVE".
And by its absence from other posts.
I hope everyone is alive to the coming collision.
The fact that DJT chose this precise moment to emerge from Mar-a-Lago, come to Washington and spur his troops on with his "cesspool of crime" speech, with its broad hints of standing for president in 2024... should be lost on no one.
And he was at the Turning Points student conference in Tampa last week with the Nazi flags outside flying freely. And a “President Trump” banner bigger than anything in the conference hall. And merchandise inside doing brisk business for the treason booty chest.
Jeri, there is the new "MAGA" which is Mothers Against Greg Abbott. I would encourage anytime you are able to feign senility and when MAGA hats are shown or mentioned, inquire "now which MAGA is that? The tRump one or the Mothers AGainst Greg Abbott??"
This fact of the MAGA folk not taking the pushback to their dystopian version of America “sitting down” is chillingly prescient. Armed to the teeth, locked & loaded, amygdala primed for Hate, they are definitely “Standing back and Standing by”. But for us, I see this moment inspired sadly by a quote I believe is from Churchill : “When you are going through Hell, Keep Going!”
So Help Me God is the name of Mike Pence’s new autobiography.
So Help Me God seems a fitting title for the man who served as Donald Trump’s handmaid for four years before his master tried to incite a lynch mob to hang him.
The default setting of societal stupidity that national media narratives demand now cast the unctuous charlatan as a hero for failing to throw two centuries of American democracy away on January 6, 2021, by refusing to go along with Trump’s coup. The late politician Daniel Patrick Moynihan was definitely on to something when he talked about “defining deviancy down.” By Steve Schmidt...
I was following Steve Schmidt until reading the New York Times article about him and his company and the dark money they have taken in. I no longer follow him.
I have serious concern that Pence and the rest of the Republican leadership is going to capitalize on the downfall of Trump to transfer their hopes to Pence for a run for presidency. Pence is even more dangerous than Trump for our country; he is so clothed in his religiosity that people will ignore that the march toward autocracy would continue if Pence were to win election.
I don’t think he has the fortitude necessary to be president. He can’t even being himself to testify about an event where his president wanted him killed.
The religious Puritans of our day will gobble it up like manna. Check out the NYT best sellers, many of the old cretins are there, along with some newbies. Religious fervor was a component of Nazi dogma
"put homeless people in camps on the outskirts of cities" I fear that such rash ideas have wider appeal than one would wish.
Concrete proposals to humanely and effectively deal with the visible homeless problems in major cities would boost support for Democratic candidates. I'm sorry to say that I'm not aware of any such proposals. I'd be grateful to hear of any.
TFG shows us daily how out of touch with reality he really is. He has no creative problem solving skills, no policy expertise, all sound bites no substance. Rex Tillerson was spot on.
I wonder how much homelessness is caused by robber baron landlords like kushner and drumpf. Right after his inauguration, tfliarguy blocked the small reduction in the FHA loan interest rate that the Obama administration gave potential homebuyers because owning a home means security and a path to the middle class. This letter gives me hope that the nasty, mean and greedy piece of pond scum gets what he deserves for all the lives he has ruined.
As would I. Having been in and out of nearly every major American city I have witnessed the homeless crisis and find it growing. Even in smaller cities cardboard houses and tents are becoming widespread. New forms of camper cities are cropping up as well as people are forced out of expensive rentals. Is there a solution? Mental health issues pervade this unholy domain. The severity of life is crushing these Americans. Their most fundamental needs are not there. There must be a way forward. It will require more than our kindness.
When I was in Sweden 6 years ago I asked about low income housing. I was told all apartment complexes have mixed income housing. All the apartments are the same and rent is subsidized by the government for those with less. I felt how civilized and what a relief not to feel guilty for such disparity.
Fascinatingly informative … probably one of the other reasons this Nordic country is usually near the top of the ratings list of the happiest places on earth?
Thanks Susan, that sounds like a piece of the puzzle. When I was in Saigon I found Families of 10 living in 8x8 cubicles of metal roofing. No water, no toilets, no nothing. At least they didn’t incur the wrath of the neighbors.
I read an article yesterday about how real estate investment trusts are buying up mobile home parks that are often the only place that low-income retirees and people on long-term disability can afford. The new owners come in and raise monthly rents to astronomical levels without fixing any of the infrastructure problems that some mobile home parks have. Where are these people going to go?
This is nationwide Ellen. It has surfaced as more than a trend. It is becoming more like war on the poor. The people I know buying up the slums are heartless, evil bastards who envision themselves as getting rid of the poor. Who would want to have the poor so desperate? Why make their lives impossible? Who wants them pushed over the edge? This is someone’s plan but I can’t see through it.
Overwhelming...is it the hour and once again through a long day, the tick of my 84th year, swinging through the anguish and the telling of tales on "the others", the right wing, the Republicans, also Americans, disruptive and dishonest, gathering at the feet of this single man and his corruption...for what do they splinter their lives and ours?
And every day, I wake and read, relieved the letter will come and the pictures fade of painted days and nights and dead children and big guns and wonder at actions and lack of...through it all comes the truth and where hiding and why?
Prayer for the words and letters of this American to stay the storm bringing us set to rebuild each other, our lives, our constitution our democracy, our America, beautiful for spacious skies...
OH, WHAT A DAY! Another blow for Trump, a far right network and its viewers.
'OAN, a Dependable Trump Promoter, Faces a ‘Death Blow’
After Verizon drops the network at the end of this week, OAN’s cable TV audience will shrink dramatically.'
'One America News’s headquarters in San Diego. The cable network will soon have lost its presence in some 20 million homes.'
'The future of One America News, which established itself as a powerful voice in conservative media by promoting some of the most outlandish falsehoods about the 2020 election, is in serious doubt as major carriers drop it from their lineups and defamation lawsuits threaten to drain its finances.'
'By the end of this week, the cable network will have lost its presence in some 20 million homes this year. The most recent blow came from Verizon, which will stop carrying OAN on its Fios television service starting Saturday. That will starve the network of a major stream of revenue: the fees it collects from Verizon, which counts roughly 3.5 million cable subscribers. In April, OAN was dropped by AT&T’s DirecTV, which has about 15 million subscribers.'
'OAN’s remaining audience will be small. The network will soon be available only to a few hundred thousand people who subscribe to smaller cable providers, such as Frontier and GCI Liberty, said Scott Robson, …' (NYTimes)
fascinating, Judy. Thank you. I wasn't reprepared to see a message to him from the RNC. It appears to be a divorce. It read lie a fist-slap, and I don't think there is any going back. DeSantis! I am happy to see it get very dirty between them. DJT and DeSantis are two very ugly things. I don't want to write on because my mind is turning bad with this stuff. On the other hand, if it was a Marty Scorsese film: Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, Casino, Gangs of New York -- I feel better already.
My heroine of the day is Zsuzsa Hegedus, Orban’s longtime assistant who resigned, telling him in no uncertain terms that she could not condone his Nazi rhetoric. Although she must have accepted a great deal of questionable policies prior to this, it had to take exceptional courage to stand up to Orban in that autocratic country. I never understand how any job is worth forfeiting honor, integrity and ethics, let alone democracy. Obviously, however, many value other things more. So we continue the struggle to fashion a more perfect union and to encourage embodiment of the values that will make that possible. Thanks, Heather, for a great summary of a busy news day. Nice to see some promising news.
For the record, it turns out that according to Ruth Ben-Ghiatt, Orban’s assistant Hegedus recanted her statement and was given her job back. It’s said many believe this was all planned in advance so Orban could then claim he was not stoking the flames of prejudice or anti-Semitic. I was duped. He’s an autocrat and Hegedus shamefully is supporting him. Unbelievably, the Republican Party continues to praise his “illiberal democracy,” which is thoroughly autocratic.
All these lawyers and all this hokus pokus. They are all Federalist Society or Heritage Foundation, or Koch what have you’s. Pull hard enough on their network threads and they lead somewhere concrete. I think these lawyers hold a belief or knowledge that the Supreme Court had their back, and knowing that fact, gave certain air of confidence to their anti democratic conspiracy plot. How else can you explain their brazenness? Maybe Ginni Thomas can help us and the committee with that?
To me they are as dangerous to democracy, maybe more so than the violent mob of Jan 6th.
Forget not that M. Garland used to speak at Federalist Soc. functions. They still post the events from 10 years back, crowing about the fact he's now Attorney General.
If we succeed in sidelining TFG, we still have a DeSantis problem.
I admire the January 6 Committee for apparently learning from the failures of the Mueller Investigation and the two impeachments. Its scripting, timing, and pacing are setting new standards for public information. I hope at some point we will be able to meet and congratulate its staff members.
Read Jonathan Swan's article in Axios that Heather talked about in her chat. Talks about No. 45's
Schedule F which basically allows the president to control every civil servant working for the federal government. If the president doesn't like someone he can fire them, no reason, no benefits, no nothing. That way he could have fired Mueller and the man who recommended him and everyone else who had the integrity to do their job. He put it in place October 2020, Biden got rid of it within days of taking office. If he is re-elected, sources say, he will immediately put it back in place. https://www.axios.com/2022/07/22/trump-2025-radical-plan-second-term
CPAC visited Orban in May, and will host him with Trump inext week. This is headline news but barely any coverage. Why no bios of this dictator? His is clearly the Cnservative agenda.
Heather, your work goes on & on lifting hope in so many of us. Thank you this evening for another Letter that bolsters our understanding of how complex the network of political cronies and wannabe’s is and how it’s unraveling as each hour, day, week goes by with consistent hard work from so many reporters. I am going to sleep with the enduring belief that truth will win and our democracy will become stronger and more humane, responsive to the needs of all of us.
Sadly, the fact that 75 million people voted for the crook and the majority of the Republican party refuses to renounce him suggests that we will have to continue to actively resist a substantial portion of our electorate for the indefinite future. The fact that officials in high office are willing to slam the committee's work at the same time they have refused to even watch the hearings tells you something about the obstinate refusal to face facts that buoys up the orange one.
Trumps given millions of people the choice to live in their worst selves… crass, cruel, bigoted, outspoken in ignorance and total lack of civility.. it’ll be a long road up… but w Heather & her cadre of academics and reporters we can learn the truth and walk tall, carrying our message of good will and hope for ALL.
It's obvious to me that Attorney Wilenchik is on track for a substantial career change. He certainly will not be practicing law again, probably not for the remainder of his life. Not when he's a convicted felon guilty of defrauding the federal government by creating counterfeit election certifications which he forthrightly admits were 'fake'. I really have to wonder why a lawyer would do that, unless he is so contemptuous of the rule of law that to him practicing law is itself a form of deception. In his case, it probably is.
Over my lifetime I've seen this time and again, lawyers who stoop to all sorts of stratagems and shady behavior in order to put something over on clients, on all the lawyers, courts, judges and juries; you name it, any sort of public statement at all, or private statement that creates an advantage for himself or a client. It's like an addiction. They are used to being the center of attention, and people look to them for inspiration and advice on almost anything. Undoubtedly, there are people like Wilenchik who find themselves gobsmacked by the notion that the words they utter suddenly open doors that seem impenetrable. That must be a pretty heady feeling, knowing that their high-risk bet is suddenly paying off. These people are risktakers from the get go, and that may very well explain why they suddenly find themselves out on a limb when the least bit of prudence or introspection should have waved them off what they are trying to do. What is known in the prosecutorial parlance as a '371 offense', meaning United States Code, Title 18, section 371, which is the federal fraud statute, is a very serious offense for which fraudsters are routinely sentenced to lengthy periods of incarceration.
I seem to recall that one of the fraudsters I was assigned to represent on his federal criminal appeal had been sentenced to a stretch of about eight years for committing bank fraud. That's a lot of time marching in place; and even in the relatively genteel minimum security prisons where these miscreants eventually end up, it's no fun at all.
The news report doesn't say how old Mr. Wilenchik is, but apparently his legal experience was sufficient to attract the attention of the Arizona state Republican hierarchy, which means that he had been involved with them from early on, perhaps for decades. It appears that he was a 'fixer', a well-connected expediter and factotum, the guy politicians have around to take care of the dirty work that they cannot afford to be associated with. Given the blatancy of the email acknowledging the falsity of the document he was then preparing to be delivered to the federal government, and which was intended to cause controversy and confusion in the counting of Arizona's Electoral College ballots, there is no defense to the charge of forgery, and concomitant charges of mail fraud and wire fraud, as well as interfering with a governmental operational function.
I do not see the sentencing judge cutting Mr. Wilenchik any slack whatsoever, even if the judge were a committed, dyed in the wool Republican partisan. I would not be the least bit surprised if there were some sort of informal competition among federal judges hearing these January 6-type cases to see who can drop the hammer harder on defendants who were not taken in by the rhetoric, who were not Donald Trump acolytes, or people who simply let their emotions get ahead of their good sense. Given all that is happened with Trump's and the Republicans' 'Big Lie', the judges themselves must be wondering where all this is going to end up because Trump and his followers and the United States of America are indisputably on a collision course for which there can be only one survivor.
The good thing about getting Trump on conspiracy to commit election fraud is it avoids all the bullshit shiny objects of "His free speech," "he couldn't know what they'd do after he spoke," etc., etc. The crime is proven by the existence of the fake documents, The conspirators are shown by the signatures on the documents. You think any of those small gargoyles are the kind who will go to jail for Trump? Hah! They'll be lining up to turn state's evidence. And all the questions the prosecutors are asking in the grand jury are "what did you say to the president?" "When did you say it?" "What did he say?"
It might be the equivalent of getting Al Capone for tax evasion instead of the St. Valentine's Day Massacre, but it still puts him away for 20 years.
Whatever works.
Sure, he needs to be taken off the street, shamed in public, humiliated. Any charge that will stick is good enough, though hopefully Garland's "thoroughness" will lead to further convictions for capital offenses and a larger conversation about how Trump could happen in the first place and what can be done to keep someone like him from ever reaching public office again. I suspect the Constitution will need significant modification. That will only occur with a big DEM majority, and we know who can make it happen. Us.
Koch’s are pushing for a constitutional modification with their own agenda. Be very afraid
The Koch network and other robber barons are a clear and present danger to the health of this nation. The dark money in politics is one of our biggest problems. Remember Charles Koch’s father, Fred, was a founder of the John Birch Society. When my grandmother would spout Bircher drivel, my dad would ask her where she got such CRAZY talk. Now those who talk crazy have gained a significant foothold and are working to break the country.
See Carville’s “Starving the Beast” film, if you can. It shows the Koch network destroying public universities.
My mother wouldn't buy Welch's grape juice for us when we were kids because she said he was a member of the John Birch Society.
Koch needs to be thoroughly trashed.
People have to strongly boycott the Koch products. They are responsible for producing to s of plastics that are clogging our bodies and the oceans.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koch_Industries
Have you seen the “Energy Voter” commercials advertising Koch Industries? Those commercials make Koch look benign. Lots of sunshine and employees with beaming smiles on their faces. Koch is the 2nd largest privately held company in the US with 120,000 employees in 70 countries, 60,000 in the US, revenues of over $115 billion. Citizens United and previous decisions allow Koch and the Koch network to use their dirty money to purchase influence. Charles Koch makes his voice heard in ways a regular person can’t. It’s too despicable for words.
🤢🤮 I abhor the Kochs and the dynasty! You’re right…despicable.
Isn't snorting KKKoch still illegal?
Yes! To all!
"Us" indeed. Ironically, that's the solution and the problem; and has been for far too long.
Yes to every word of this. If Trump ever gets into the White House again, there won’t be any more elections for anyone to dispute. He needs nothing less than an orange jumpsuit.
And any investigation will cease, to be replaced by investigation into J6 committee, and any Dem, as well as HRC again. Old habits die hard.
For the rest of his life!
Hopefully very short life.
His favorite color!!
Haaahahaha…. But seriously, this is the fervent hope of everyone who values democracy and the rule of law. BTW, if/when Dumpster is convicted of crimes and we hope, sent to prison, we need to start thinking about how we will mark the occasion. In order to give zero ammunition to allegations that “you all just did this because you personally hate Trump. This was all a political witch hunt for political gain blah blah blah” we probably want to keep all public remarks soberly focused on the message that this is just another step in protecting our democracy, the Constitution, the sanctity of our right to vote to choose our leaders, the peaceful transfer of power, and the principle that no one is above the law. We can hold sober public speeches and candle light vigils of thanks. Public marathon readings of the founding documents and any laws passed by then to protect our elections and the right to vote would be appropriate. Quiet tears of relief will be streaming down my face. Then we can go home and celebrate less soberly, out of the public eye.
Thanks Elizabeth, I will curb my humorous impulses until the glorious day he has left the stage!
Rupert is trying for a majority of right-wing nuts, be they MAGAts or DeSantis evil. They are no longer satisfied with the minority ruling the majority. They want to be the majority, just like democracy demands. Nazi playbook all the way. And I got banned from Twitter for saying so in 2020,
Do you mean “De Satans”?
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Agreed. Practically the entire Nazi playbook is being run before our very eyes
Get out the vote!! That is the effort we ALL need to be making.
Sheila:
Our #1 goal should be voting and getting others to vote. These people should never come close to the government again.
are ordered and on their way here. Pen poised and ready to write.
Trump must be down with a stake in his heart. Garland's job is the stake. Once ("If"?) that comes to pass. Many of Trump's goons, followers, wanna bes, etc. will fall by the watside having seen what happened to him, BUT not all. Some are also true bellievers and will have to be carefully watched at least until a new generation takes over which at 74 I am happy I will not see, but will there be enouch vigilant ones in that generation is anyone's guess. For now I quite agree. VOTE!
Trump had a steak in his heart (a Trump Steak). Didn't do the job.
Good joke J., but I was serious.
Cute
Every able retired body who can write can do GOTV postcards and find a stamps donor. The Turnout Project is one organization to turn to.
David
He adores attention. Take it away and he will wilt in the darkness.
The problem is not with the constitution. The problem is with how it is being interpreted. In my opinion. It was never meant to be interpreted literally as the end of the discussion as to what is constitutional as (third one) SCOTUS is doing. I believe it was supposed to be a living document, one open to change by the congressional acts of Congress. Congress is being blocked by a few. We must reconcile that issue.
People hunger for leadership and attention. It appears we may have left some behind.
"The problem is not with the constitution. The problem is with how it is being interpreted. In my opinion. It was never meant to be interpreted literally..."
The same problem as with the Bible, and some of the same people.
Well said.
David Herrick, AMEN!
Yes … trump and his minions are heading for prosecution, trial and then jail. This needs to happen and he knows his struggle is about to end; he looks terrible…haggard…done. Were he being pursued by the police and prosecutors of the kind of law free, anything goes fascist state he and his cronies were attempting to create? Thank goodness America isn’t like that…even for a traitor like him. So looking forward to putting this whole awful chapter of American history in the rear view mirror; aren’t you, too? But the dogged fight will go on for years to come as more and more evidence of the wide ranging “Hub and Spoke” criminality behind the January 6 insurrection comes to light. Meanwhile there are so many vitally important things for us to accomplish: Reversing Global Warming comes first, re instituting a national standard for voting rights, helping NATO help Ukraine win the war with Russia, Keeping China from wrecking its truly golden opportunity to become a great nation again, in full partnership with the democratic west, moving America towards becoming the world leader in innovation, transportation, renewable energy, manufacturing, research, education and healthcare in full partnership with democratic nations around the world, as we prepare to venture beyond the confines of our own planet and take our place among other intelligent life forms in the universe. It’s the Star Trek vision I’m talking about which may actually happen in only the next 300 or so, years. As Joni Mitchell wrote in her song Woodstock, “we are stardust”… It’s a wonderful vision that is indeed, our ultimate destiny as a species.
Getting a handle on global warming is even more important than saving American democracy. But saving American democracy is likely essential to stalling global warming.
Yes. We are baking here in Oregon. Some citizens caught a guy starting fires in southern Oregon and I think tied him to a tree until LE got there. Fires were put out thankfully. I read an article yesterday about the strain on the antiquated grid, so people can experience rolling blackouts. Water is a problem in parts of central Oregon around Bend where the population is growing and the greedy developers are busy planning resorts, etc. In the meantime, we contribute to races here and all over the country. There is an interesting one going on in Washington's third district where the incumbent voted for impeachment. Two wing nuts are running against her, one a "Christian" home schooler; the other, a guy who changed his registration to D and voted for Bernie because he thought Bernie would be the weaker candidate. Someone is trying to portray him as a stealth D. He isn't. In Washington the two top vote getters go on to November.
I had not heard about the firestarter in southern Oregon. My sister lives in Phoenix, is on the planning commission, and is actively involved in fire recovery down there. The devastation of Phoenix and Talent (sister city just to the south) is beyond comprehension. To have someone trying for "round 2" is abhorrent.
I think I read it in the Oregonian because as you know our two local papers are total rags.
It was in Curry County.
Indeed I do.
Good grief. I wonder if he is a disgruntled lumberjack? That was tried a few times in California on preserved forests. A fire might destroy the forest, but downed trees can still provide good wood once the char is stripped.
In CA. a woman did this last year. She was very well-educated but mentally unstable. Caused millions of dollars of damages also putting many people at risk.
Tied the guy to a tree? How befitting!! 👏🏼👏🏼
Keith, you write beautifully. I am very moved by your words of hope and renewal. I would love to have a President who speaks as well as you…..thanks.
Nice of you to say so…peace be with you.
Attempted like
I like your optimism, Keith. I believe optimism to be misunderstood. Optimism is not “hoping” something good will happen. It’s fighting the good fight and not taking a flight away from it. Robert Hubbell’s Substack piece today digs in to the peril of scoffing at optimism and doubling down on pessimism. Here’s a link to his entire post. He ends his post with the discussion that I reference. https://roberthubbell.substack.com/p/the-dam-is-beginning-to-break?r=l2aa7&s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
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Agreed. I went round and round with one of my former LMT whose mantra was all pols are bad. Then he voted for Jill not green Stein. I used our Oregon delegation, mostly good Ds, as an example of good pols. He also thought we shouldn't do anything about climate change or anything else because....I disagreed. We do what we can. We have solar panels for example, and this am, my spouse reported that we were billed for no kilowatt hours and sent back to the grid 218 hours. It goes into a fund at the end of the year to help low income households. On Friday the electrician is coming to turn on our wall batteries in the garage in case of an outage. These do not run big power using items, but will run everything else including fridges and the freezer. Yes, I know that not everyone can afford something like this and I am grateful that we can and also glad to know that our solar panels can help others. In the meantime we do what we can in terms of getting out the vote and contribute all year to organizations doing that.
Bravo, Michele and spouse!
That's a good point.
Lovely version of Joni singing Both Sides Now circulating on You Tube from this year at the Newport Folk Festival. I saw it on Facebook.
This is Joni at the Newport festival. So poignant. I cried like a baby. https://youtu.be/jxiluPSmAF8
Yes, Michele. Joni’s songs are so relevant. Still. https://youtu.be/Pbn6a0AFfnM
Keith:
We seem to want to put the issues behind us which brought us together today. I am all for moving onward. However, this attempt to overthrow America should not be forgotten. It needs its place in our history so people in the future recognize the pattern leading to the end of democracy as we know it.
"So looking forward to putting this whole awful chapter of American history in the rear view mirror; aren’t you, too? "
Great comment . . .
Thank you, Keith. An eloquent and beautiful statement of vision and hope, which we can keep before us to power our hard WORK to get out the vote and safeguard our democracy while we still have the power to head off the fascist juggernaut. Go Democracy Team!
Your TO DO LIST‼️👍🏼
Beautiful. I have chill bumps just reading it. Thank you for sharing your vision one many of us share.
I tried ❤️Your post, but it wouldn’t let me. Very uplifting post, Keith.
So beautifully put and I couldn't agree more. Now that is a vision worth working for. Thank you.
Although I agree with your general sentiment, one has to be careful regarding innovation and manufacturing. Lots of innovation yields high-tech crap, to use a technical expression, that fills Earth with indecomposable plastic, as well as other harmful materials. An old example is leaded gasoline, a great innovation that was known from the start to be dangerous (Bill Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, tells the story). And, though you don't say so explicitly, reading between the lines I see cheerleading for continuing economic growth (I apologize in advance if I'm reading something that isn't there), which is also a planetary disaster. Finally, I believe "ventur[ing] beyond the confines of our own planet" is an illusion. We may be able to ruin the moon and Mars, but we will not be able to colonize Mars, an idea advocated by Elon Musk and others who view it as "planet B" after we finish despoiling Earth. Bill Maher has an amusing monologue about this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrGFEW2Hb2g
but the reasons go even deeper. Too long a discussion for this forum.
Your last two words, TC, are as good as gold. To me, it indicates the array and broader range of investigation the DOJ will pursue leading to criminal indictment. And that will finally trap Trump in his own game. I remain in support of Atty General Garland putting some principled clean shine back on the Department of Justice. As Professor Richardson concludes with quote “…pursue justice without fear or favor”.
Not much that the former president pursued that did not involve fear or favor.
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Closet optimist coming out here, but fully aware of the road fraught with potholes…
Exposing the truth over time did Nixon in. It should work here also. There's just too much weight of evidence, from too many people.Trump can live in his world of denial and lies. I still believe he'll flee the country. It's what failed bullies do.
It did work. But Nixon was re-elected before the curtain fell on his act. The difference here may be that the challenges to TFG from within his own party are becoming clearer every day. Let's not underestimate the craven ambitions of DeSantis and Pence. Pompeo may step in if he sees a lane. The latter two are especially frightening as they believe in the "Rapture". But the Florida guy is also scary. He's a Hitler imitator.
Exactly...let's be honest, there were about 20 folks in the GOP primary that Trump eventually won. He trashed every one of his opponents in vile ways. There's no love lost between them and DJT. Anyone who gets to a Presidential primary is a survivor who has done a lot of shit, directly or indirectly to get there. The next 2 years are going to be a wild ride both in the GOP and DEMs. I think Biden may pull an LBJ and step aside. He's done what he needed to do. Beat Trump and stabilize things. I think the good news is that we can see pretty clearly what's developing on the GOP side. You can bet that any Republican who has designs on the Whitehouse is praying for the demise of Trump...but what they also want is to win mid terms and get majorities...so there's a tightrope walk of timing for them. What helps us now, does not aid them until mid November.
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"...finally trap Trump in his own game." True justice.
Am waiting for DeSantis to hoist himelf on his own petard too.
So true, Sister.
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We watched the interview with Lester Holt last night and Garland was quietly adamant that no one is above the law.
Trap him like the rat he is. As explained by one commentator, this is how you get to the mob leader(s). You go after the little fish until you get to the kahuna. With everybody either indicted and jailed, this leaves Trump out in the Siberian cold, as by himself, all nakedly exposed and isolated. Right where we want him!
It ain’t over till the fat orange man sings. Stay tuned. He will. Lying at first. The conductor does not need the music. He memorized, invents the credenza.. for our listening pleasure. Mozart was born January 27th, that was a Friday in 1939. War raged. The music today is atonal in Ukraine. War again. Biden hears so well. The Born Again do not. Putin does not. Find Trump in Don Giovanni. Shake his hand and descend. It ain’t over till the fat orange man sings. And the man in stone shakes his hand. Putin is stone. Zelenski is love. Love Is Not Enough - but it’s a good place to start.
To Biden With Love. To hope. To the children.
We start with the Ukrainian children. And their beautiful mothers.
The orange man will be investigated, charged, convicted and sentenced to prison. He will be charged and sentenced last.
The line forms at the rear. First come, first served.
The truth shall set us free.
I cannot tell a lie, said George Washington to his father.
I cannot tell the truth, said Donald to Sir Rudy.
Study Savonarola, he is Giuliani. They will swing. Rudy’s father did time in Sing Sing. Will Rudy get the same cell? What cell will the handshake earn for each in the Trump Team? Don Giovanni knows.
It ain’t over till the fat Orange Man Sings. Then the Trump curtain comes down on his White House, and they all follow John N. Mitchell.
We need Jack Anderson. W. Mark Felt. Deep Throat. His two greedy friends that hid him in Santa Clara in Joan Felt’s garage. Where he died.
The last act is excellent. Music moves us.
Mozart was a genius.
Genius matters.
We’re going to need it.
Smile. We’re all on Candid Camera.
And our children are watching, watching..
And crying.
It’s time. Let’s roll. AG Garland will clear the way.
Then it’s up to us - in the midterms.
VOTE.
Sandy, the grammar police have shown up. I love what you've written.
Credenza: A sideboard or a cupboard
Cadenza: A virtuoso solo passage inserted into a movement in a concerto or other work, typically near the end.
I love how you wove that word into your post.
I suspect spellcheck was responsible. It knows furniture better than music.
😂
Ha!!! I really need both an editor and a proofreader function on my phone!
So Trump the Opera will replace Hamiliton as American Theatre renewed. Lyrics by? And musical score by? And narration delivered by? I'm coming up with images brought to us by Mel Brooks. Vote for damn sure.
I think we've already got some of the lyrics, thanks to Sandy. "I cannot tell a lie, said George Washington to his father. I cannot tell the truth, said Donald to Sir Rudy." ...etc.
Oh, that is RICH!!! Given that I get to go see Hamilton live next month, I will pay special attention to some of the moving pieces and see if I can't come up with a cast...
Cadenza is correct, not credenza. Thanks, Ally House, Oregon.
The problem I see is that the current Attorney General will decline to prosecute (he has already said so). Then the midterms happen, likely a total landslide for Republicans, and the January 6 Committee is done for.
There are so many crimes in the Trump administration that will likely go unpunished. Example, Jared Kushner and his business dealings to the tune of $1 billion (the cost of the NYC office building bailout) or more.
So Trump will get away with what Bush/Cheney did, lying our way into the Iraq war. If you can't be punished for that crime, then you can't as a President be punished for anything. Including destroying democracy in this country.
Cite your source, please, that Garland will decline to prosecute. Also, his work will go on until Biden's term ends.
Michael, I had posted a NY Times article here within the last two weeks that quoted internal DOJ employees as noting that a prosecution of Trump was not even being talked about.
That is not quite the same as “not prosecuting” information but it did seem that only Fani Willis in Georgia appeared brave enough to go after Trump.
My guess is that with Fani Willis likely to indict Trump the humiliation Garland would suffer historically if a black woman puts Trump in jail in Georgia, while DOJ remains silent, has prompted DOJ movement.
I think Garland initially focused on the bottoms-up approach, tackling the hundreds of cases involving those who invaded the Capitol. And at some point (before the J6 Committee began hearings) started focusing on the organizers/conspirators.
The case Fani Willis is pursuing is very much less complex and smaller in scope than what Garland is working on. (Trump was recorded trying to manipulate the Georgia results.) But I agree that she will have distinction of being the first to bring charges against Trump. The fact that she is a Black woman will make the case all the more painful for Trump.
Yes.
DA Willis courage coupled with her legal status coupled with American history will incite Trump and his racist support.
I truly hope DA Willis succeeds while Georgia insures her safety.
That is a whole other kettle of fish.... insuring a Black woman's safety in Georgia, which does not have a good track record in that regard.
Also have to consider how much the nation has learned in most recent J6 hearings.
Attempted like
You might want to go watch that interview Garland did on NBC today. Your information is out of date.
Watched and agree.
I hope you are right, better late than never, which is fast approaching.
Well…….do tell!!!
Mike S, What's your race angle? Garland does his job and Willis does hers. What's your 'humiliation' Black/White imagining for Garland if she's up first? Just don't understand what you are getting at.
It’s fine for Garland. Trump has been rather clear about despising all women and anyone not white, so being held to account by a prosecutor who is a Black woman probably disrupts him that much more.
He may be held by both, and he'll hate them both. DJT will hate all who nab him. Just say no to him and he's full of hate. Perhaps the only time he's ever colorblind is when he is in a rage -- or maybe not.
Oh yeah
When Biden's term nears its end AG Garland can appoint a Special Prosecutor to continue afterwards just as AG Barr appointed John Durham in 2019 to investigate FBI misconduct that has not been found but the clown continues on investigating.
Republicans have gall with no end, Democrats have a limit. Always the dilemma…
I don't have a source, only that Presidents have never been prosecuted. And so I am rightfully cynical here. DOJ should already have plenty of evidence to prosecute Trump already. It shouldn't take 1.5 years.
Norms have been broken by TFG. Now it’s our turn.
Hallelujah and amen. Now or never
Nixon feared prosecution and left office without roiling our very democracy for 18 months after. DT not only lost the election, he tried to block the legitimate winner and elected President from taking office. This is all unprecedented criminal activity in my opinion. How can any criminal ever be charged and brought to trial if this gross criminal activity is not prosecuted?
" DT not only lost the election, he tried to block the legitimate winner "
It is worse than that. Sometimes there really is a massive conspiracy, and this is one of them.
Apparently Leon Jaworsky (so?) had sufficient evidence to prosecute Nixon after his resignation, but felt it a political decision more than a judicial one. Refused to make the call. Why it was up to Ford.
I don't know how long it should take, but I know that the legal process is typically slow. You don't want the perp to get away on technical mistake. You want to come down on a career criminal like a ton of bricks, and that takes time to assemble. Technically, so far as I know, no president has been prosecuted, but then which previous president (not even Nixon) tried to overthrow the elected government by treachery, force, and violence? I do worry that we have given too many outrages a pass in the past to avoid the consequent messiness, but that only encouraged even more outrageous behavior. It also seems to me we're out of the wiggle room to decline to act without catastrophic consequences.
Great points. At some point you've got to go with what you have and make the case, though. Sooner rather than later is preferred!
We must remember - DT had lost the election, he just was not accepting the loss and was and is trying to change the result of the election by any means, including committing crimes, the likes of which have never occurred in our history.
"committing crimes, the likes of which have never occurred in our history"
That's the "elephant in the room".
No one but Trump has conspired to overthrow the government (that we know of….).! Whatever time it takes, let’s have faith these bastards will be held accountable. Otherwise, we should go into the streets and protest peacefully, but loudly. This is up to US!
“When you strike at a king, you must kill him.”― Ralph Waldo Emerson
Of Garland is merely building an unassailable case and taking his time doing it to make it perfect, ok fine, Feds always take a long time to bring indictments. If he is of faint of heart, etch the decline of our democracy on his tombstone. Too early to tell which is which. No fun waiting to see.
Ralph was right, as are you, a wounded chump is the devil incarnate
That's a serious crime! But also it is a serious crime to start the Iraq War number 2 with lies, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths. And even thousands on our side.
I remember
While it is still legal, there are plans in the works…
Trump is not president.
And he never really was.
“Presidents” have never led a coup to overthrow the government.
Garland should have no problem prosecuting the fat man with all the advice he is getting here in Dr Heather’s comment section. 💥
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Matt Fullerton: New York Post, July 27, 2022
Don’t give up YET on Garland…
Attorney General Merrick Garland didn’t rule out prosecuting ex-President Donald Trump over the Jan. 6 Capitol riot even if he runs for the White House again in 2024.
Garland said the Justice Department would “pursue justice without fear or favor” when asked by NBC News’ Lester Holt about prosecuting a former president and possible future candidate for the highest office.
“We intend to hold everyone, anyone who was criminally responsible for the events surrounding January 6, for any attempt to interfere with the lawful transfer of power from one administration to another, accountable, that’s what we do,” Garland said in an interview set to air Tuesday night on NBC Nightly News.
“We don’t pay any attention to other issues with respect to that.”
When pressed again by Holt during the sit-down if Trump becoming a candidate could affect his decision-making, Garland reiterated, “we will hold accountable anyone who is criminally responsible for attempting to interfere with the transfer — legitimate, lawful transfer of power from one administration to the next.”
The Department of Justice has been probing the possible criminal conduct connected to the Jan. 6 riot and efforts by Trump allies to reverse the results of the 2020 presidential election won by Democrat Joe Biden.
At the same time, the House select committee probing the Jan. 6 attack has held eight public hearings so far on the siege at the US Capitol.
Attorney General Merrick Garland discussed the criminal probe by the Justice Department into the siege on the US Capitol.
When asked if a criminal referral from that House committee would be welcomed by the Justice Department, Garland said it was “totally up” for the committee if they took that step.
“We will have the evidence that the committee has presented and whatever evidence it gives us,” he told NBC. “I don’t think that the nature of how they style, the manner in which information is provided, is of particular significance from any legal point of view.
“That’s not to downgrade it or to or disparage it. It’s just that that’s not what, that’s not the issue here,” he added. “We have our own investigation, pursuing through the principles of prosecution.”
Last week, Garland stressed the importance and wide-ranging nature of the investigation.
Merrick Garland said the Justice Department would “pursue justice without fear or favor” if he were to prosecute Donald Trump.
Merrick Garland said the Justice Department would “pursue justice without fear or favor” if he were to prosecute Donald Trump.
Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images
“No person is above the law,” he told reporters last week.
Guess I’ve learned to believe it when I see it. I do see the machinations of the republicans in red states preparing for the future while we focus on the past. Necessary but we need to be aware
Amen Sister. We all remember Mueller, Comey, SDNY etc.
My concern can be found here, that Garland must personally approve any prosecution of Trump, a policy that originated from Barr. Hence he can stop it, and maybe he will. Certainly there is reason to be concerned. Otherwise, why play around with low-level prosecutions rather than going straight to the top.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/07/19/garland-memo-presidential-candidates-investigations/
DOJ has had 1.5 years since Jan. 6, 2021 to prosecute.
I believe the DOJ has to build its case, which takes time. Prosecuting a president, former or one in office is very difficult. I think they will prosecute the son of a bitch. He is guilty as sin….
Keep in mind, also, that certain facts didn't come to light until Cassidy Hutchinson and others testified before the January 6th Committee. So DOJ has NOT had 1.5 years to prosecute Trump; the evidence was not yet in place.
Agree.
I think if Fani Willis we’re not courageously moving toward a Trump prosecution, the DOJ would never have and may still never, prosecute Trump.
Mike, Fani will shine out as a hero when she is done with him. Thank God she stepped up….I hope she is under protection, for in this toxic environment, one can never be too careful. Many have gotten horrendous death threats….
Me too Elizabeth.
Matt, Heather actually addressed this concern in one of her politics videos - the memo appears to have been around for many administrations before and is not issued for the moment or necessarily indicative of anything. His interview promising to prosecute without fear sounds much more important. Anyway, things are moving.
That is good to hear. Thanks!
Garland has repeated he will investigate without fear or favor each time he has been asked. If he were to suddenly say things were too “politically fraught,” he would lose all reputation. I think that matters to him.
Our concern is not wasted if we get people thinking and then voting in droves in November.
Most of that is likely not to happen (unless you sit on your assets). The current Attorney General specifically DID NOT rule out prosecution of Trump in his interview today. As to the fall, right now the generic congressional is tied, which has been moving D since May when the Roe decision was leaked - they still have Act 2 of the Select Committee hearings coming in September and October (excellent timing).
You sound like one of those people who would have advised FDR to give up and surrender in April 1942, before Coral Sea and Midway.
I'm not advising giving up, exactly the opposite. Showing some fortitude to do what is right and prosecute Trump. Not just people several levels down, but including Trump himself.
Garland not ruling out prosecuting is not what I would hope to hear. I would hope to hear him ruling it in. The first statement is just an excuse.
What do you need to see or read to be persuaded?
I guess Mitch’s crimes are way down on the list, but I’d still like to know about Justice Kennedy and his banker son and the path to a Repub SC seat
Same here. There is definitely a story here.
I think you and the media may be underestimating the backlash from the Supremely Sick Courts recent decisions and impact of the rot within the GQP being revealed daily in ever more detail. I hope to see Mid Term turnout on an epic scale. The two biggest blocks of voters are "independents" and "non-voters". I think they may be the dragon being awakened. I could be wrong. I am having coffee fueled optimism this morning.
I remind myself that Garland's background is judicial. He is not some young ambitious prosecutor. Therefore, if he brings charges they will stick like super glue. He will only pursue a case that he KNOWS will lead to a conviction. Judges don't want their time wasted with "long shots" or "pretty good cases". I can't predict anything. But I see reasons to be optimistic.
And even if the DOJ does not send TFG to prison, the image of TFG as more of a liability than a winner is becoming clearer to many in the GQP. And maybe it will all come down to Atlanta.
Bill, I believe the "biggest block of voters" is women. We are pissed at having men make decision about our bodies, and we're heading to the polls to let them know we are the dragons who are coming for them.
Men have made a mess. Please take over now :)
I am a fan of Game Of Thrones. I just love the image of a huge dragon waking up after many years. Her eye opens slowly. She begins to stir. And ultimately she incinerates the evil guys. Hear her screech as she flaps those enormous wings. She rules...
Have never watched Game of Thrones......may now.
I could not. There was a "free trial" towards season 2 or 3 to get new viewers. Far, far too much gratuitous violence for the sake of titillation. That carp ain't entertainment, especially when you've seen the real thing and the very real impacts it has.
(In the "explaining usage" department, which most recently has been with abbreviations, my usage of the word "carp" is a nod to my dyslexia, when I sent a text to my friend indicating 💩 but typing "carp"...)
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Unfortunately, we have women like Amy Coney Barrett and certain female Republican members of Congress who also vote.
Of course, but I believe the Roe decision has awakened the female dragon 🐉 which will overwhelm any R votes.
Hope so, Pam!
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I think you might be part of the "don't believe it" crowd. You have every right to think that way based on the history of the past 7 years. But many in that crowd should look at the bigger picture. The more time they are taking with investigations, the larger and deeper the plot of bad characters comes into view. I personally want to know everyone who aided and abetted the so-called president in the republican plans to overthrow our democracy to maintain their power which appears cannot happen without cheating via gerrymandering, the EC, voter suppression, illegal tampering with our postal system, and propaganda brainwashing machines like fox. Oh no, trump was not alone and had a LOT of others planning and scheming. A lot of backup and complicity...and a LOT of dark money both domestic and foreign. We still have a time...Please give Merrick positive support...you actually have no choice,really. Being positive and supportive, for me is better than being, what one of my friends refers to as a "Debbie Downer." (sorry to all Debbies!) I loved hearing Garland speak yesterday and his words were meant, I think, to assure us that he is working on this "without fear or favor." That was solid to me. Those are the words I will hold up for and cheer he and others in our DOJ to do their due diligence. This including the wonderful J6 Committee who are the educators of America in showing the entire country and world what a bunch of despots are in the rethuglican party in this country, with help from abroad. What a shameless party of narcissists who feel nothing about what they have done to the rest of us in their self-absorption, violent and chaotic attack on our country and people.
I know teenagers who are a lot more civil, mature and caring about their behavior impacting others than most of the republican leaders I see in our employ all put together.
We will never solve the problems we face as a country, or world, as long as immature, little white-assed power nazis (sorry, I had to say it) want to be in charge here and overseas. We must show strength in that our democracy and our justice system work. I believe in it. My ancestors on both sides died fighting for or against it. I will continue to fight for it no matter how old I get. All The People, this time. The bully patriarchy be damned. That is really what this is all about. Their death knell is at hand. I will not let their tactics of tyranny suck me in to their dark cave of misery, hatred and despair.
Thank you for your comment. I have worked in the legal field and have pointed this out every time people complain that action isn't being taken. This is a HUGE case and to try and convict a former president is going to take extreme detail, extremely rock-solid evidence, and as the Jan. 6 committee has said, people are still coming forward as witnesses. People are seeing others be brave so they are being brave themselves.
I have been saying Texas now has Nazi brown-shirts, Florida too I believe. Rat on 'crimes' of anyone 'illegally' voting (or what appears to be), Texas, turn in anyone getting or providing an abortion.
Matt, are you just ignoring the other one billion dollars Kushner received as just found money or just something inconsequential? It was Steven Mnuchin who only received $1 billion dollars - the amounts that we are currently aware of: Kushner - $2 billion, Mnuchin - $1 billion; can we safely assume that none of the other trump klan received no money at all? See: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/05/jared-kushner-affinity-partners-saudi-arabia
Matt, I share your apprehension. A GOP mid-term victory (they hardly need a landslide!) would eventually make any indictment or conviction of Trump irrelevant. Trump getting off - despite the terrible precedent that would set - might be survivable, but if this GOP ever regains full power in both houses, then our uniquely American democracy will be finished, a dead duck, Trump or not.
I am assuming AG Garland understands this and will do what he needs to do, whatever his initial misgivings, and that Trump will seal his own fate by continuing to double down on being himself. Subconsciously he may be seeking the relative quiet and simplicity of a well guarded jail cell. Not that I'm a shrink or anything....
Nor am I a lawyer, but I'm not sure "Bush/Cheney... lying our way into the Iraq war" is actually a crime in a legal sense, though it was a moral abomination supported by a number of still beloved Democratic politicians at the time. Were they accomplices, or just duped like all the folks who voted to give Dubya a second term? Which is worse?
Intent is the key. Being duped is one thing. Ignoring someone's instance of knowingly engaging in illegal conduct is all together different.
Yes, Ally, intent is the key, and this can best be determined - short of a confession - through cross examination under oath and in the presence of hard evidence. Flipping the perp's best buddies helps, too. Unfortunately, Bush/Cheney never had to worry about this. The consequences of presidential lying are normally political, not legal.
And, TC, as I keep saying: That the Orange Blight can never again hold power will be enough for me. (Although, if he were wearing an orange jumpsuit would be a mighty sweet image.)
Is there a betting pool anywhere for the day he flies off to Russia? Or hungary?
I'm in.
Both Russia and Hungary would be good places for him, since he admires their authoritarian leaders so much.
TC “Right On!” In HCR’s piece today she mentioned speculative comments regarding tRump “skating!” My blood boils at the mere thought that could happen!! I vaguely recall reading in an obscure Internet post previously that Garland/DOJ might have to “back off” prosecution because with the Midterms approaching it might seem the Dems were trying to “unfairly” poison the Well. $%^&* (expletive deleted!) I remember a Judge in Boston who inspired the formation of the “Deer Island Jail, “Daddy owes Club” where former husbands who shirked paying Child Support payments found their sorry %$^#’s. I’ll bet they never remember touching the stairs when being arrested. To the Judge’s point…”they broke the Law and they will be punished! I Imagine there weren’t many who would “forget paying” a second time. Now there is talk, albeit speculative, that a former President, might be excused for trying to overthrow our Democracy. If that isn’t bad enough…the RR’s (Repugnant Republicans) are now trying to duplicate the actions that lead up to the Civil War by having States defy the Union! What’s next!!
I better finish! My Wife says, “I’m yelling at my Computer and scaring the Dogs!’
I yell at my computer and scare the cats. :-)
What you say. But the January 6 Committee has also shown enough evidence to convict TFG for seditious conspiracy over the attack on the Capitol. And although I’m not a criminal lawyer, I’m pretty confident that there’s a statute making it a crime for a federal official to be derelict in failing to perform his duties, and T___p could easily be convicted of that as well. He should be charged with all of those, at least, as well as election fraud.
Putting Trump away for 20 years is good enough for me. Thanks.
Or his tendency to sexual indiscretions. Wouldn't it be hysterical (there's a pun here) if he was imprisoned for solicitation, or grabbing women you know where...
TCinLA, 20 years should take care of us! Hopefully, no reduced sentence!
Put him against the "Wall" for treason along with all the other republican scumbags!
You might be a bit optimistic. Donald has his own deep state. All the pimps and prostitutes, dealers and wheelers, buddies he's blackmailing, etc. probably vote.
I'd like to see a legal court case linking Boris Epschtyne, whose parents emigrated here from Moscow when he was ten, and Jeffery Epstein, both names probably derived from the German town of Eppstein. Boris' parents survived the holocast: he married a girl from the oldest Catholic educational institution in the USA: now he's a holocast denier. Boris' wife works for Google and I can't find anything on the Epstein bunch on Google. There is a Right To Be Forgotten procedure I read about when I Googled Boris' wife's mother. Both her parents are lawyers. Her father practiced Constitutional law. The corruption is like cancer, permeating old rotten tissues.
👍🏼
As I have stated, Trump will be investigated, charged, convicted and jailed... by this DOJ led by this AG. It is all over but the shouting.
The One Six committee has helped enormously by educating the public that cares, but DOJ got there first... and the American public will now face the music:
President Trump is a congenital pathological liar and a hardened criminal. He is going to jail for as long as President Biden wants him there. His supporters will watch as their evil hero wears a suit the color of his dyed face. And the midterms will adjust the outcome accordingly.
President Ford pardoned President Richard M. Nixon as Veep Spiro T. Agnew was allowed to walk and Nelson A. Rockefeller was elevated to veep with the agreement that he would never run - because he was divorced.
President Biden will have a decision to make, and it will only matter when - and why - he makes it. To pardon or commute the sentence of President Trump - of leave him in jail to rot.
Donald J. Trump with the orange face and yellow hair will face jail - lose weight, and be visited by his favorite daughter, who has turned states evidence against him to keep herself and her strange and dishonest husband out of jail. The Trump dynasty is in flames, and the GOP or Republican Party will need new leadership... and has no one but One Six co-chair GOP Rep. Liz Cheney qualified to direct that process. No one.
Cults die, sooner or later.
The Trump Republican Party is in flames and will die. The party will find new leadership and our two party system will struggle again.
Perhaps racism, the cult’s cause and driving force, will receive attention - and tolerance will be sought.
One can hope. That leadership can begin with an eye on Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson... who just may end up as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
Sandy, I love your image of flames and the dynasty crashing and burning….and the GOP, too, aflame.I also was struck by the sentence that Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, could end up as Chief Justice. What an uplifting thought…..thank you. We must get rid of Clarence Thomas….and send Ginni to prison with him.
... co-ed incarceration ...? Or just co-opted ...
Thank-you Sandy. What others call your optimism, I call realism, or observation. When I am pessimistic, it is generally to protect myself from some condition I find unacceptable. Refusal to look at the whole picture of any given situation is to rob ourselves of hope, agency, and dignity. This is the central failure of ALL media coverage on 1/6/21. In their quest to be "fair" they have chosen helplessness, despair, and slavery. It is no wonder millions are going on 'news fasts' or have stopped watching altogether. Of course, in the words of Pogo: "I have met the enemy, and he is us". The media is just trying to give us what they think we want; in a sense, we want protection from the truth, and they are simply attempting to give it to us.
Thank-you Sandy for injecting a little truth into this forum. Thanks for the hope, agency, and dignity it may bring.
The process: President Trump has been investigated thoroughly, he is now formally the target of a criminal investigation by DOJ, he will be indicted, he will be tried unless he pleads, he will be convicted, sentenced and jailed... Witnesses testifying re Trump may be granted Use Immunity to assure their full cooperation... under penalty of perjury.
Sandy Lewis, My question is will it be a jury or the Senate that will convict him?
Thanks, Steve Abbott... we start with worst case analysis, and work backward...
Good to keep both eyes open, rather than just one...
(Sweden)
"and the American public will now face the music:" - It will be heard across the Atlantic! From all that has passed and showed up, I still hold my breath till things really happen.
Holding mine too, may we breathe again
Thanks Sandy, best piece in a long time. Kudos!
Thanks, Pat. Sandy
I firmly believe our path forward would have been on more firm footing had Ford allowed Nixon & Agnew to be punished for their crimes as common folk are held to account. It is most important to have the powerful held to account because their criminality and corruption poison the whole well of democracy. Ever since Watergate, the belief that “all are equal under the law” was knee-capped. It needs to be seen to be believed.
I would add that George W. Bush and Dick Cheney should have been prosecuted as well. Pelosi refused to do anything, saying the country needed to move on. But Trump is what we get for not following through. There must be consequences for illegal and immoral conduct.
They weren’t the first President/VP to lie the US into war—“Remember the Maine!” Whereas Trump is the first President to attempt to use illegal and violent means to stay in power.
That is such a good point, Michele.
At least Agnew was charged. Pleaded guilty in return for his resignation. I don't think that (similar to promising not to run again) would be an option offered to Trump because it would look like Garland was getting rid of his boss's opposition.
Just Wow, I’m old, may it be so in my lifetime
First. A sincere thank you, Sandy, for your optimism.
I do whole heartedly agree that trump and his closest cohorts are in flames. And some of the alt right media as well. Verizon just dropped OAN costing them 20 million viewers, Newsmax will crumble under the duress of lawsuits and FOX is obviously following orders from Murdoch to stop supporting trump. They are all migrating to DeSantis. The Washington Examiner and Wall Street Journal are damning trump concerning January 6 events.
We will see.
Let me be clear: Trump is the subject of an investigation, but is he the target of - do they intend to charge? Is Trump a target? Yes. I believe both. Trump is assuredly a subject of; and he will be the target of, assuredly - the first president so targeted AND so charged - so indicted, trialed, convicted, sentenced. I have no doubt.
There is a delicate balance which must be achieved between the DOJ moving to indict the defeated former president and the continuing weakening of his Republican support in Congress, in state legislatures and among those who voted for him, brought about by the House Select Committee's. investigations. When that balance is struck, the DOJ will move. We must reach the point where Republicans agree that if the defeated former president shot someone in the middle of Fifth Avenue, he should be and would be promptly arrested and thrown into a cell. (Of course, he actually did worse than that.)
Yes. "Subject" is way different than "target." Thanks for highlighting this important distinction, Sandy.
I suppose Biden will have a say in how long Trump stays in prison, should he be convicted, because of his (Biden's) presidential pardon powers but Biden will have no role in whether Trump is charged or the terms of any plea deal. Which is as it should be in a system of laws.
Also to tamp down the drama here a bit, federal prisoners wear khaki and appear in court in civilian clothes.
How will he be able to dye and have his hair styled and nails manicured in prison? No tanning bed and possibly no spray on tan. He will look like the old man that he is.
Envisioning this gives me a lift.
👍🏻
LOL!
In the meantime : "Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has backed out of teaching a seminar at George Washington University's law school after calls to remove him from his position as adjunct professor." https://www.axios.com/2022/07/27/clarence-thomas-george-washington-university
He needs to resign his position of "Supreme Court Justice"!
Thank you for this. In this era of denialism and stick your head in the sand-ism, this is good to read. Let's just hope we don't go down in flames before a reasonable cohort gains enough power to do something prevent it.
Inspiring thoughts, Sandy. Much appreciated!
Thanks, Sandy
CJ Jackson. Has a nice ring to it!!
Motion seconded - question moved ... no idea how you come to know so much, Sandy - always thanks for sharing!!
If you substitute DA Fani T. Willis of Georgia for DOJ, in your post, I heartily agree.
DA Willis is right up there with AG Garland.
The State of Georgia vs. the DOJ, a fight for custody over the fate of the NY con man. Now that's a skirmish I'd pay to see, with a win for the people on both ends.
I keep being reminded of the great hope we put into the SDNY case against TFG. Then . poof.
Will b interesting to understand why, at some point.
Former Manhattan DA Cy Vance who led the investigation had left his post. When his successor, Alvin Bragg, took over he halted the investigation. You may know this part. But yes, why did Bragg halt it. This article doesn't give me a satisfactory explanation, but here it is anyway.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/06/politics/trump-manhattan-district-attorney-investigation/index.html
I don't think we got enough explanation nor clarity. Weird situation.
Well and nobly done, Mr.Lewis.
That rumbling noise in the distance, growing ever louder, is a building tsunami of irrefutable evidence, evidence that will crash upon Trump and his closest associates and ruin their lives. The water metaphor is appropriate. It will be a cleansing, not of them, but the nation.
*Additional thought: how many propagandized Trump Big Lie believers will wake up? What will it take? Or will they just become more hardened in their irrational beliefs — and continue to undermine democracy in small and large ways?
I hear the rumble also, Michael.
Regarding your additional thought…I keep thinking of the testimony of Stephen Ayres before the Jan 6 Committee. I think he gave a clear accounting of what it took to be deprogrammed from the Trump cult behavior. I think many have done the same and that many more will do the same.
🗽
Morning, Christine! Did you "feel" me thinking of you while I watched Merrick Garland's interview on NBC last night?
Totally. 🗽
Morning, Lynell.
Christine. Someone told me that the people in Florida like DeSantis. Your thoughts?
Very abysmal politics in Florida. It’s like pushing aside sludge to glimpse the Light of democracy. I never hear people talk of “liking” DeSantis. They either think his rising corrupt star in the Republican Party is their cup of tea or not. His incessant rant of Florida being a “free state” that celebrates its “fweedums” cannot be farther from the truth. And then there is the entrenched Trump base that will insist that Desantis is only as popular as Trump will allow. Meanwhile, Florida sinks further into a Confederate south state of mind. Stupid. Which is a choice.
I loathe him.
🗽
Thanks for your response. Do you think he embraces fascism? How dangerous do you think he would be on the National political stage? He worries me very much.
He embraces what moves him forward with his “base”. Need I say more?
Some do.....like the tall, burly ex-military homeland defense guy next to me in line at Starbuck's yesterday! When my grandson walked in front of him the guy said "excuse me" to the boy but I said that my grandson should have excused himself and that we were trying to teach him manners. The man looked at me and said, " Good thing,cause the public schools aren't. Thank God for DeSantis." Inocuous, anecdotal and exactly what we are up against in Florida.
Certainly not all Floridians. We moved from Florida because of DeSantis.
Ike best deprogrammer in our history, it’s a slow or catastrophic process
What could we all do to accelerate this deradicalization process?
Michael. What happens to Trump believers thinking will be what Fox News and AM radio tell them to think.
So. Listen to your local AM radio station and watch Fox and Friends to find out…..IF you can stomach the bold stream of lies.
I cannot.
From Jessica Craven: https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/p/chop-wood-carry-water-726-257?utm_medium=email
Stop Disinfo! 📣
The Talk Radio Project's (TRP) dozens of intrepid volunteers call into right-wing talk radio stations that are flooding rural audiences with disinformation. The volunteers inject much-needed fact-based conversation. The TRP is now gearing up for expansion into several 2024 swing states.
This unique initiative needs more administrative volunteers to support current and anticipated callers.
Can you squeeze in an hour or two each week to help with a task?
Recruitment of callers: Responding to inquiries, reviewing applications, organizing interviews
Training & assignment: Arranging for training and caller team assignments
Research: Identifying talk radio stations/hosts and progressive grassroots groups in target states
Progress monitoring: Tracking the number of volunteers and calls made
Join a zoom to learn more about the Talk Radio Project from its co-founder Mike Lambert. Mike will describe what each of these tasks entails and answer all questions. (Curious? Come learn more…joining does not imply an immediate commitment.)
Wednesday, July 27th, 7-8 pm ET. Register here.
I know someone who has been doing this. I’m glad this has national attention.
Problem is: Here they cut off any caller who is not on the Pub propaganda message.
We have to buy the radio stations and repopulate them with real news.
Can you paste a live link please?
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf6rttUY0Kbi_WDb4bKZwqM4Nxxd1_UrlegsA01GMNp4ucmlQ/viewform
Maybe Rupert is switching to DeSantis. Not a positive direction
I have been seeing that play out. A terrifying direction. DeSantis is a fascist.
Exactly. Murdoch dumps Trump, rides DeSantis.
... was gonna say ...
We have enough floods and fires, Michael. A small cell in the PEN for all of them would be just fine. As for the MAGAs, militias and far-right troglodytes, I don't think they'll take DJT investigated sitting down. Trump got off his golfcart, and I predict there will be uglier trouble ahead.
Fern here is the voter information we talked about on Monday.
O'Rourke's "Powered by People"
NDRC National Democratic Redistricting Committee
The Lincoln Project
Southern Poverty Law Center
ACLU
Let America Vote
Hope this helps:
O'Rourke's "Powered by People" https://poweredxpeople.org/
NDRC National Democratic Redistricting Committee https://democraticredistricting.com/
The Lincoln Project https://lincolnproject.us/
Southern Poverty Law Center https://www.splcenter.org/
ACLU https://www.aclu.org/
Let America Vote https://letamericavote.wpengine.com/
How thoughtful Vivian. Thank you on behalf of all of us.
Thanks!
Great. If you have links you can enter them below each organization's name on your comment by pressing the edit dot. Thanks!
The States Project
I hope you're wrong but fear you're right.
I think there needs to be preparation with the National Guard. There were plenty of warnings about 1/6/21. How could we forget the violence he has attracted and fueled?
As ugly as the provocateur
Definitely in need of a national cleanse.
I'm afraid that it has reached the level of intense cult deprogramming efforts with these folks. I'm not sure they would know reason if it came up and bit them on the behind.
Ally, I know you have experience with this. I cannot avoid saying that they aren't all the same. There may indeed be an uproar when his supporters learn that he's being investigated. I believe that we need to be prepared for violence. After a while, several smart campaigns (Lincoln Project type clips) on the Five Faces of DJT, perhaps, some maniacs will calm down.
They are alive and as dogmatic as ever in Texas, and they vote, at least once…
Six of one - half dozen of the other ...
'Justice Dept. investigating Trump’s actions in Jan. 6 criminal probe'
'People familiar with the probe said investigators are examining the former president’s conversations and have seized phone records of top aides.' (WAPO)
How's that for the Washington Post's front page headline? Can it be true? You bet it is. Today's Letter and news outlets around the country are providing Americans with a wakeup call! As mind blowing this is -- how will it go over with the MAGAs? The Biden administration along with organizations such as the Lincoln Project need to get into high gear and design an educational campaign about the REAL DONALD TRUMP.
As good as this news is concerning the Justice Department investigation of President Donald Trump’s actions as part of its criminal probe of efforts to overturn the 2020 election results this news is also EXPLOSIVE.
Who are the MAGAs?
'The demographic composition of the MAGA movement is overwhelmingly white, male, Christian, retired, and over 65 years of age. They’re attracted to the following groups, ones that include gun rights, charities, pro police, anti-lockdown, pro-life, and “stop the steal.” They’re extremely politically active, all in support of the Republican Party. However, only roughly 60 percent are solid Republicans, the rest either “lean” Republican or Independent. The MAGA movement overwhelmingly believes Trump’s election fraud claims, would have supported him for a “third term”(had it been an option), and don’t believe that voting should be made easier.'
Where do MAGA supporters live?
'... the MAGA movement has a presence in every state in the continental U.S. '... MAGA presence corresponds with population density. As expected, less populous states in the Mountain West and Great Plains regions showed less activity. More populous states such as California, Texas, Florida, and other states in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic region registered more MAGA activity. '...MAGA presence was not constrained to rural areas, as contemporary rhetoric about the urban-rural divide might lead us to expect. In most states, MAGA respondents were clustered around major cities like Atlanta, Chicago, and Dallas.'
This information comes from Panel Study Of The MAGA Movement led by Rachel M. Blum, Assistant Professor, University of Oklahoma and Christopher Sebastian Parker, Professor, University of Washington. 'The Panel Study of the MAGA Movement (PSMM) is a survey designed to assess the attitudes and behavior of the people who consider themselves part of the “Make America Great Again” movement, popularized by the Trump campaign in 2016.'
'The MAGA movement, it seems, is not a isolated phenomenon. Movement sympathizers make up a healthy portion of the Republican electorate, and they are well-represented throughout the country.' (PSMM) See link below.
It feels as though democracy in the USA is getting a gigantic lift. This is also a time to recognize that Trump, the far-right, the militias, the MAGAs and the Republican Party will not take this sitting down.
https://sites.uw.edu/magastudy/maga-and-politics/
Thank you, Fern, for your focus on looming danger -- danger that would, of course, be infinitely greater if the principal conspirators were let off the hook.
The cult monster is enormous and correspondingly dangerous -- without that huge following, their leader would have been... a nonentity -- and that is why there is no choice but to go for its head. That is why the January 6th committee completed its current work on behalf of Congress by setting its aim squarely on target: the former president.
In so doing, it is facilitating the apolitical task of the DOJ -- apolitical, in the sense that its task here must be purely prosecutorial, applying the law... without fear or favor.
I was struck by one word of yours here: "EXPLOSIVE".
And by its absence from other posts.
I hope everyone is alive to the coming collision.
The fact that DJT chose this precise moment to emerge from Mar-a-Lago, come to Washington and spur his troops on with his "cesspool of crime" speech, with its broad hints of standing for president in 2024... should be lost on no one.
Go for it’s head, the demon is trying to grow another, or two…
And he was at the Turning Points student conference in Tampa last week with the Nazi flags outside flying freely. And a “President Trump” banner bigger than anything in the conference hall. And merchandise inside doing brisk business for the treason booty chest.
They are revving up for the CPAC in August.
Fern, thank you. Excellent information about MAGA, the Movement. We need to know.
Thank you, Irenie. I'll keep on them at a distance!
Plenty of old, female MAGAts in my assisted living. Entitled and vocal, no kumbaya here
Jeri, there is the new "MAGA" which is Mothers Against Greg Abbott. I would encourage anytime you are able to feign senility and when MAGA hats are shown or mentioned, inquire "now which MAGA is that? The tRump one or the Mothers AGainst Greg Abbott??"
;)
Or even better tell them you’re MAGA too—Greg Abbott has to go! 😁
Oh MLM, THAT is funny!!
Bravo!
I hope they're armed with nothing but hatred, ignorance and resentment, poor things...
This fact of the MAGA folk not taking the pushback to their dystopian version of America “sitting down” is chillingly prescient. Armed to the teeth, locked & loaded, amygdala primed for Hate, they are definitely “Standing back and Standing by”. But for us, I see this moment inspired sadly by a quote I believe is from Churchill : “When you are going through Hell, Keep Going!”
You brought a flashlight to the darkness and excellent vision in the grisliness.
Arizona.
So Help Me God is the name of Mike Pence’s new autobiography.
So Help Me God seems a fitting title for the man who served as Donald Trump’s handmaid for four years before his master tried to incite a lynch mob to hang him.
The default setting of societal stupidity that national media narratives demand now cast the unctuous charlatan as a hero for failing to throw two centuries of American democracy away on January 6, 2021, by refusing to go along with Trump’s coup. The late politician Daniel Patrick Moynihan was definitely on to something when he talked about “defining deviancy down.” By Steve Schmidt...
Steve Schmidt is among the most brilliant for his advice and calm comment to our most important and talented people in public life.
1000% agree. Also Michael Steele. I am a fan of The Lincoln Project.
Steele is both insightful and funny. Long-time fan of LP and Schmidt.
I was following Steve Schmidt until reading the New York Times article about him and his company and the dark money they have taken in. I no longer follow him.
I have serious concern that Pence and the rest of the Republican leadership is going to capitalize on the downfall of Trump to transfer their hopes to Pence for a run for presidency. Pence is even more dangerous than Trump for our country; he is so clothed in his religiosity that people will ignore that the march toward autocracy would continue if Pence were to win election.
Mike Pence and Ron DeSantis are dangerous intolerant fascists - and they have plenty of company.
Waiting in the wings, don’t take our eyes off
I don’t think he has the fortitude necessary to be president. He can’t even being himself to testify about an event where his president wanted him killed.
Agreed, MLM. He can't even be in a room with a woman if "mother" isn't with him. Pathetic....
That would eliminate the possibility of female cabinet/staff/ambassadors...
😆
The religious Puritans of our day will gobble it up like manna. Check out the NYT best sellers, many of the old cretins are there, along with some newbies. Religious fervor was a component of Nazi dogma
More theocracy.
Great and accurate summary of Pence.
"put homeless people in camps on the outskirts of cities" I fear that such rash ideas have wider appeal than one would wish.
Concrete proposals to humanely and effectively deal with the visible homeless problems in major cities would boost support for Democratic candidates. I'm sorry to say that I'm not aware of any such proposals. I'd be grateful to hear of any.
TFG shows us daily how out of touch with reality he really is. He has no creative problem solving skills, no policy expertise, all sound bites no substance. Rex Tillerson was spot on.
I wonder how much homelessness is caused by robber baron landlords like kushner and drumpf. Right after his inauguration, tfliarguy blocked the small reduction in the FHA loan interest rate that the Obama administration gave potential homebuyers because owning a home means security and a path to the middle class. This letter gives me hope that the nasty, mean and greedy piece of pond scum gets what he deserves for all the lives he has ruined.
As would I. Having been in and out of nearly every major American city I have witnessed the homeless crisis and find it growing. Even in smaller cities cardboard houses and tents are becoming widespread. New forms of camper cities are cropping up as well as people are forced out of expensive rentals. Is there a solution? Mental health issues pervade this unholy domain. The severity of life is crushing these Americans. Their most fundamental needs are not there. There must be a way forward. It will require more than our kindness.
When I was in Sweden 6 years ago I asked about low income housing. I was told all apartment complexes have mixed income housing. All the apartments are the same and rent is subsidized by the government for those with less. I felt how civilized and what a relief not to feel guilty for such disparity.
Fascinatingly informative … probably one of the other reasons this Nordic country is usually near the top of the ratings list of the happiest places on earth?
Thanks Susan, that sounds like a piece of the puzzle. When I was in Saigon I found Families of 10 living in 8x8 cubicles of metal roofing. No water, no toilets, no nothing. At least they didn’t incur the wrath of the neighbors.
Reagan’s evil legacy
I read an article yesterday about how real estate investment trusts are buying up mobile home parks that are often the only place that low-income retirees and people on long-term disability can afford. The new owners come in and raise monthly rents to astronomical levels without fixing any of the infrastructure problems that some mobile home parks have. Where are these people going to go?
This is nationwide Ellen. It has surfaced as more than a trend. It is becoming more like war on the poor. The people I know buying up the slums are heartless, evil bastards who envision themselves as getting rid of the poor. Who would want to have the poor so desperate? Why make their lives impossible? Who wants them pushed over the edge? This is someone’s plan but I can’t see through it.
Mayor of Anchorage is trying this but the bears are terrorizing the homeless folks.
Overwhelming...is it the hour and once again through a long day, the tick of my 84th year, swinging through the anguish and the telling of tales on "the others", the right wing, the Republicans, also Americans, disruptive and dishonest, gathering at the feet of this single man and his corruption...for what do they splinter their lives and ours?
And every day, I wake and read, relieved the letter will come and the pictures fade of painted days and nights and dead children and big guns and wonder at actions and lack of...through it all comes the truth and where hiding and why?
Prayer for the words and letters of this American to stay the storm bringing us set to rebuild each other, our lives, our constitution our democracy, our America, beautiful for spacious skies...
Then this is for you Lynnsy.
The Peace of Wild Things by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
You brought thoughtful, observant understanding with your birthday. Thank you, Lynnsy. Happy Birthday!🎹🎺🎷🎻🎶🌺🌼🌷
OH, WHAT A DAY! Another blow for Trump, a far right network and its viewers.
'OAN, a Dependable Trump Promoter, Faces a ‘Death Blow’
After Verizon drops the network at the end of this week, OAN’s cable TV audience will shrink dramatically.'
'One America News’s headquarters in San Diego. The cable network will soon have lost its presence in some 20 million homes.'
'The future of One America News, which established itself as a powerful voice in conservative media by promoting some of the most outlandish falsehoods about the 2020 election, is in serious doubt as major carriers drop it from their lineups and defamation lawsuits threaten to drain its finances.'
'By the end of this week, the cable network will have lost its presence in some 20 million homes this year. The most recent blow came from Verizon, which will stop carrying OAN on its Fios television service starting Saturday. That will starve the network of a major stream of revenue: the fees it collects from Verizon, which counts roughly 3.5 million cable subscribers. In April, OAN was dropped by AT&T’s DirecTV, which has about 15 million subscribers.'
'OAN’s remaining audience will be small. The network will soon be available only to a few hundred thousand people who subscribe to smaller cable providers, such as Frontier and GCI Liberty, said Scott Robson, …' (NYTimes)
https://abcnews.go.com/US/rnc-warning-trump-run-president-stop-paying-legal/story?id=87486985
This is another major blow to Trump. I think the worms are turning.
fascinating, Judy. Thank you. I wasn't reprepared to see a message to him from the RNC. It appears to be a divorce. It read lie a fist-slap, and I don't think there is any going back. DeSantis! I am happy to see it get very dirty between them. DJT and DeSantis are two very ugly things. I don't want to write on because my mind is turning bad with this stuff. On the other hand, if it was a Marty Scorsese film: Taxi Driver, Mean Streets, Casino, Gangs of New York -- I feel better already.
There is hope!!
My heroine of the day is Zsuzsa Hegedus, Orban’s longtime assistant who resigned, telling him in no uncertain terms that she could not condone his Nazi rhetoric. Although she must have accepted a great deal of questionable policies prior to this, it had to take exceptional courage to stand up to Orban in that autocratic country. I never understand how any job is worth forfeiting honor, integrity and ethics, let alone democracy. Obviously, however, many value other things more. So we continue the struggle to fashion a more perfect union and to encourage embodiment of the values that will make that possible. Thanks, Heather, for a great summary of a busy news day. Nice to see some promising news.
For the record, it turns out that according to Ruth Ben-Ghiatt, Orban’s assistant Hegedus recanted her statement and was given her job back. It’s said many believe this was all planned in advance so Orban could then claim he was not stoking the flames of prejudice or anti-Semitic. I was duped. He’s an autocrat and Hegedus shamefully is supporting him. Unbelievably, the Republican Party continues to praise his “illiberal democracy,” which is thoroughly autocratic.
All these lawyers and all this hokus pokus. They are all Federalist Society or Heritage Foundation, or Koch what have you’s. Pull hard enough on their network threads and they lead somewhere concrete. I think these lawyers hold a belief or knowledge that the Supreme Court had their back, and knowing that fact, gave certain air of confidence to their anti democratic conspiracy plot. How else can you explain their brazenness? Maybe Ginni Thomas can help us and the committee with that?
To me they are as dangerous to democracy, maybe more so than the violent mob of Jan 6th.
Forget not that M. Garland used to speak at Federalist Soc. functions. They still post the events from 10 years back, crowing about the fact he's now Attorney General.
https://fedsoc.org/contributors/merrick-garland
Did not know this: thanks.
Erghhhh… really? No!!!!
Absolutely true and they are still churning their evil, along with ALEC and a zillion PACs
If we succeed in sidelining TFG, we still have a DeSantis problem.
I admire the January 6 Committee for apparently learning from the failures of the Mueller Investigation and the two impeachments. Its scripting, timing, and pacing are setting new standards for public information. I hope at some point we will be able to meet and congratulate its staff members.
Read Jonathan Swan's article in Axios that Heather talked about in her chat. Talks about No. 45's
Schedule F which basically allows the president to control every civil servant working for the federal government. If the president doesn't like someone he can fire them, no reason, no benefits, no nothing. That way he could have fired Mueller and the man who recommended him and everyone else who had the integrity to do their job. He put it in place October 2020, Biden got rid of it within days of taking office. If he is re-elected, sources say, he will immediately put it back in place. https://www.axios.com/2022/07/22/trump-2025-radical-plan-second-term
CPAC visited Orban in May, and will host him with Trump inext week. This is headline news but barely any coverage. Why no bios of this dictator? His is clearly the Cnservative agenda.
Dana Milbank today (WAPO: Opinion about Orban: A hero of the Trump right shows his true colors: Whites only) says, "Thank you, Viktor Orban, for showing us where the American right is heading." https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/07/27/viktor-orban-cpac-conservatives-welcome-racism/
Nothing like the able example of the leadership of DA Fani T. Willis, of Georgia, to release the DOJ from its widely perceived Trump paralysis.
Heather, your work goes on & on lifting hope in so many of us. Thank you this evening for another Letter that bolsters our understanding of how complex the network of political cronies and wannabe’s is and how it’s unraveling as each hour, day, week goes by with consistent hard work from so many reporters. I am going to sleep with the enduring belief that truth will win and our democracy will become stronger and more humane, responsive to the needs of all of us.
Sadly, the fact that 75 million people voted for the crook and the majority of the Republican party refuses to renounce him suggests that we will have to continue to actively resist a substantial portion of our electorate for the indefinite future. The fact that officials in high office are willing to slam the committee's work at the same time they have refused to even watch the hearings tells you something about the obstinate refusal to face facts that buoys up the orange one.
Trumps given millions of people the choice to live in their worst selves… crass, cruel, bigoted, outspoken in ignorance and total lack of civility.. it’ll be a long road up… but w Heather & her cadre of academics and reporters we can learn the truth and walk tall, carrying our message of good will and hope for ALL.
It's obvious to me that Attorney Wilenchik is on track for a substantial career change. He certainly will not be practicing law again, probably not for the remainder of his life. Not when he's a convicted felon guilty of defrauding the federal government by creating counterfeit election certifications which he forthrightly admits were 'fake'. I really have to wonder why a lawyer would do that, unless he is so contemptuous of the rule of law that to him practicing law is itself a form of deception. In his case, it probably is.
Over my lifetime I've seen this time and again, lawyers who stoop to all sorts of stratagems and shady behavior in order to put something over on clients, on all the lawyers, courts, judges and juries; you name it, any sort of public statement at all, or private statement that creates an advantage for himself or a client. It's like an addiction. They are used to being the center of attention, and people look to them for inspiration and advice on almost anything. Undoubtedly, there are people like Wilenchik who find themselves gobsmacked by the notion that the words they utter suddenly open doors that seem impenetrable. That must be a pretty heady feeling, knowing that their high-risk bet is suddenly paying off. These people are risktakers from the get go, and that may very well explain why they suddenly find themselves out on a limb when the least bit of prudence or introspection should have waved them off what they are trying to do. What is known in the prosecutorial parlance as a '371 offense', meaning United States Code, Title 18, section 371, which is the federal fraud statute, is a very serious offense for which fraudsters are routinely sentenced to lengthy periods of incarceration.
I seem to recall that one of the fraudsters I was assigned to represent on his federal criminal appeal had been sentenced to a stretch of about eight years for committing bank fraud. That's a lot of time marching in place; and even in the relatively genteel minimum security prisons where these miscreants eventually end up, it's no fun at all.
The news report doesn't say how old Mr. Wilenchik is, but apparently his legal experience was sufficient to attract the attention of the Arizona state Republican hierarchy, which means that he had been involved with them from early on, perhaps for decades. It appears that he was a 'fixer', a well-connected expediter and factotum, the guy politicians have around to take care of the dirty work that they cannot afford to be associated with. Given the blatancy of the email acknowledging the falsity of the document he was then preparing to be delivered to the federal government, and which was intended to cause controversy and confusion in the counting of Arizona's Electoral College ballots, there is no defense to the charge of forgery, and concomitant charges of mail fraud and wire fraud, as well as interfering with a governmental operational function.
I do not see the sentencing judge cutting Mr. Wilenchik any slack whatsoever, even if the judge were a committed, dyed in the wool Republican partisan. I would not be the least bit surprised if there were some sort of informal competition among federal judges hearing these January 6-type cases to see who can drop the hammer harder on defendants who were not taken in by the rhetoric, who were not Donald Trump acolytes, or people who simply let their emotions get ahead of their good sense. Given all that is happened with Trump's and the Republicans' 'Big Lie', the judges themselves must be wondering where all this is going to end up because Trump and his followers and the United States of America are indisputably on a collision course for which there can be only one survivor.
Arthur, I enjoy reading you but could you use paragraphs to make reading easier? Thanks.
Okay. Done and done.
Can I copy and paste?
Please do.